When it opened to the public on July 10, 2005, the Mission Valley East (MVE) trolley line extension (i.e. the Green Line) will close a critical 5.9-mile gap in the existing system. First envisioned by the Metropolitan Transit System (MTS) more than 25 years ago, the $506 million project should provide San Diegans with increased mobility within the busy Interstate 8 corridor.

As one of four new stops being built along the MVE extension, the San Diego State University (SDSU) underground trolley station is already garnering local, state, and national attention as a gem in the region’s transportation system. The SDSU facility holds the distinction of featuring the first subterranean trolley station and tunnel in San Diego. It is projected that over 4,300 students, faculty, staff and visitors to campus will use the SDSU Station each day

The other new stops along the MVE extension are Grantville Station — complete with a unique architectural design that features a set of 40-foot high elevated platforms and high-capacity elevators; Alvarado Hospital Medical Center Station; and 70th Street Station. Each station has a selection of site-specific public art. In addition, transit-oriented developments (TODs) are planned along the route to co-locate residential and commercial projects around Trolley stations.

The MVE extension and the new state-of-the-art trolleys are expected to generate more than 11,000 new Trolley trips a day, and enhance transportation capacity and mobility within the busy Interstate 8 corridor. The project is also projected attract over 2.5 million new annual transit riders in the region as a result of improved transit connectivity.