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Yesterday, the San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) marked the completion of a pedestrian rail undercrossing off Coast Highway 101 near Santa Fe Drive that will make it safer for pedestrians to reach Swami's Beach in Encinitas, Calif.

The Santa Fe underpass is one of four planned rail crossings in Encinitas that are designed to improve pedestrian safety and coastal access along San Diego's portion of the Los Angeles-San Diego-San Luis Obispo (LOSSAN) rail corridor. About 50 passenger and freight trains travel on the segment each weekday, SANDAG officials said in a prepared statement.

The project was completed under a partnership between SANDAG, the North County Transit District (NCTD), city of Encinitas and California Department of Transportation.

NCTD owns the rail line and facilitated the construction, and the city contributed $1.25 million for design and construction, and will maintain the crossing. The project also received state and regional transportation funding, including $2.75 million from TransNet, the regional half-cent sales tax for SANDAG-administered transportation services.

Other crossings are planned in Encinitas at El Portal Street, Montgomery Avenue and Hillcrest Drive. The total cost for all four crossings is $25.7 million.