A portion of Harbor Drive stretching from Downtown to Barrio Logan is back open this afternoon following a major underground project to replace 85-year-old sewer mains servicing several popular event spaces, including Petco Park, the Rady Shell at Jacobs Park and the Convention Center.

“This is a major investment in the future of Downtown San Diego and in the essential infrastructure our city depends on every day,” said Mayor Todd Gloria. “We replaced an 85-year-old sewer main with a larger, more reliable system that will serve one of the busiest and fastest-growing parts of our city for decades to come. I’m grateful to our City staff and project teams for getting this important work done, and to residents, businesses and visitors for their patience during construction. We’re excited to have Harbor Drive fully reopened and ready for San Diegans to enjoy.”

The $52.2 million Harbor Drive Trunk Sewer project, managed by the City’s Engineering and Capital Projects Department, included replacing and upsizing more than 4,000 linear feet of large-diameter sewer pipeline along Harbor Drive from Park Boulevard to Beardsley Street. The new pipeline replaces a sewer main that was installed back in 1941 and rehabilitated in 1979. It will provide renewed infrastructure for the area to support additional and projected sewage flows.

During the project, vehicle traffic in both directions on Harbor Drive from Park Boulevard to Beardsley Street was reduced to one lane and the south side sidewalk was closed. All lane closures have since been removed.

“We are proud to be part of making this major investment into the Downtown sewer system by updating this critical infrastructure to reflect modern-day standards, address the growing area’s needs and protect public health,” said Elif Cetin, Director of the Engineering and Capital Project Department. “We appreciate the patience of everyone who lives, works and visits the area in adapting to the temporary traffic impacts during construction.”