Submission – Unofficial Future Map: San Diego Trolley by Ted Rosenbaum

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Future Maps, Unofficial Maps

Submitted by Ted, who says:

When the Mid-Coast extension opens in a couple years, San Diego’s going to need a new trolley map. Their current map has some odd angles and no references to the city’s geography, so I took a shot at a new diagram that fixes those issues. I used big looping curves to fit San Diego’s more languid style, and make the connecting services more explicit. Would love to get your thoughts on my attempt.

Transit Maps says:

An interesting take on San Diego’s trolley network from Ted, which is quite good for the most part. I do like the wide, languid curves in the outer parts of the map, though it’s a bit less successful downtown where it makes a bit of a “rugby ball” shape. This makes the Green/Blue line interchange at 12th & Imperial a bit confusing with overlapping route lines, and hides the fact that the Blue and Orange lines take an L-shaped route along Park Blvd and C Street, something the official map handles pretty well.

Inclusion of connecting bus services to the airport is a nice touch, as is including the regional rail services (Coaster and the Pacific Surfliner). I do believe that the Pacific Surfliner stopped calling at Sorrento Valley last October, so that needs to be fixed on the map. Also, I’d call it the Amtrak Pacific Surfliner, rather than using the somewhat obscure LOSSAN name. While LOSSAN manages the service, it’s branded as an Amtrak route and promoted to the public as such. It’s also a little unfortunate that all the route lines in this part of the map are shades of blue, especially as they also cross over each other.

Inclusion of the coastline and the US/Mexico border is a good idea, though I’d like to see the Pacific Ocean join up to both of the bays, rather than have them look like separate, unconnected bodies of water. Easier with Dan Diego Bay than Mission Bay, but I think it’d be worth it.

5 Comments

  1. basiluzzo says

    All in all I think this is great. I live in San Diego and think the current map is terrible, and have been wondering how they’ll handle the blue line that is under construction. I think all Cam’s comments are on the money. The downtown area is a little confusing given how the routes actually follow the street grid. Also, 12 & Imperial is actually 2 separate stations nearly a block apart. I don’t think many people transfer there but their separateness should be indicated on the map. Otherwise … great job! For round 2 I’d love to see a future map showing the proposed lines to SDSU, along the 805, along Balboa Ave and Mira Mesa Ave, and the I-15 BRT line!

    • basiluzzo says

      … also the proposed streetcar between downtown and Hillcrest. A man can dream!

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