Stacy and Witbeck will act as the joint venture lead, with HDR, Kimley Horn and WSP Parsons Brinkerhoff serving as the project’s designers.

The 17.7km nine-station line will follow the alignment of the existing Coaster commuter rail line from Old Town to serve Linda Vista, Pacific Beach, and the University of California San Diego campus before reaching a park-and-ride terminus at Westfield UTC in University City.

Last month Sandag secured a $US 1bn grant from the Federal Transit Authority for the $US 2.1bn project, which is due to be completed in 2021.