America Plaza station

Trolley station in San Diego

America Plaza station is a stop on the Blue and Silver lines of the San Diego Trolley. Located in the downtown Core of San Diego, California, it is directly connected to One America Plaza, the city's tallest building. The station, along with its accompanying 34-story high-rise building, opened on November 14, 1991,^[5][6] replacing Columbia Street station, which was one block to the east. Since it opened along a line segment already in service, America Plaza station is the second infill station in the San Diego Trolley system, following E Street station.

History

A Blue Line train is stopped under the metal arches of America Plaza station (right) while a Rapid bus departs (left). The colorful tile-covered campanile of Santa Fe Depot station can be seen in the background.

America Plaza was originally the point where the Orange and Blue lines diverged. Prior to the system redesign on September 2, 2012, the Orange Line looped south and east towards Gaslamp Quarter station and then returned to 12th & Imperial Transit Center, while the Blue Line turned north towards Santa Fe Depot en route to Old Town Transit Center. The redesign shortened the Blue Line's northern terminus to America Plaza and rerouted the Orange Line to terminate at Santa Fe Depot, replacing the western portion of the downtown loop with Green Line service.^[7] However, with the completion of Mid-Coast Trolley extension on November 21, 2021, the Blue Line was extended northward through Santa Fe Depot and Old Town to serve new stations.^[8]

This station underwent renovation from October 21 until December 19, 2011,^[4] as part of the Trolley Renewal Project,^[9] during which a temporary stop was set up between Columbia and State streets to serve the area.^[10]

Additionally, Courthouse station opened on April 29, 2018 becoming the new terminus of the Orange Line.^[11]

Station layout

References

1. "San Diego Regional Transit Map" (PDF). San Diego Metropolitan Transit System. October 2023. Retrieved June 11, 2024.
2. "Schedules & Real Time". San Diego Metropolitan Transit System. Retrieved April 9, 2020.
3. "History". San Diego Metropolitan Transit System. May 22, 2015. Retrieved April 9, 2020.
4. "Downtown Area Trolley Stations and Streets to Close for Two Weekends: October 21–23 and October 28–30". San Diego Metropolitan Transit System. October 20, 2011. Retrieved December 30, 2013.
5. "MTS Historical Timeline". San Diego Metropolitan Transit System. 2014. Retrieved January 8, 2014.
6. "America Plaza". SubwayNut.com. July 5, 2012. Retrieved January 8, 2014.
7. "September 2, 2012 Service Changes. Major Bus and Trolley Service Changes". San Diego Metropolitan Transit System. 2012. Archived from the original on April 30, 2015. Retrieved December 28, 2013.
8. "Mid-Coast Corridor Transit Project". San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG). Archived from the original on May 5, 2013. Retrieved December 28, 2013.
9. "Trolley Renewal Project". San Diego Metropolitan Transit System. 2013. Retrieved December 29, 2013.
10. "MTS New Low Floor Trolleys Go Into Service on Monday, October 3rd". San Diego Metropolitan Transit System. September 29, 2011. Retrieved December 28, 2013.
11. "Courthouse Trolley Station Opens on Sunday, April 29, 2018". San Diego Metropolitan Transit Service. August 8, 2017. Retrieved July 7, 2018.