East County commuters who rely on the Orange Line trolley are in for a significant upgrade. The San Diego Metropolitan Transit System announced Friday that it has been awarded $60.4 million from California's Transit and Intercity Rail Capital Program — with $48.3 million earmarked for the second phase of the Orange Line Improvement Project.

The Phase 2 work focuses on the stretch of track from Massachusetts Station through the El Cajon Transit Center, targeting grade crossing safety upgrades, universal interlocking crossovers, replacement of aging signal interfaces, and additional signal, track, and communications improvements. Infrastructure design for the phase was completed in December 2025, and construction is anticipated to begin in July 2026.

The overall Orange Line Improvement Project — branded "Rail Ready" by MTS — carries a total estimated cost of $151 million and covers approximately 18 miles of track between the 32nd and Commercial Street Station in San Diego and the El Cajon Transit Center on South Marshall Avenue. Riders along the route in Lemon Grove, La Mesa, and El Cajon stand to benefit most directly.

The remaining $12.1 million from Friday's grant will fund Phase 1 of the electrification of MTS' Kearny Mesa Division, supporting construction of an overhead charging system for the first 30 battery-electric buses, with construction slated to begin in June.

"This investment from the State of California allows MTS to upgrade our transit network and make meaningful improvements for the communities that depend on us most," said MTS Board Chair Stephen Whitburn. Riders should expect periodic weekend service disruptions during construction, with free bus shuttle service provided between affected stations.