Reconnecting Southeast San Diego & National City
The Green Corridor
Project Overview
Reconnecting Southeast San Diego & National City is a planning and revitalization effort to address the lasting impacts of state freeway construction and to re-envision 57 acres of public right-of-way currently occupied by the I-805 and 43rd Street ramps. The project builds on decades of community organizing and public planning to restore neighborhood connectivity through housing, green infrastructure, and community-serving development.
This initiative is grounded in a shared vision developed by residents and supported by Caltrans, the City of San Diego, and the City of National City.
50+ years of harm. Time to restore.
50+ years of harm. Time to restore.
Health Toll of Freeway Infrastructure
Decades of freeway pollution have left measurable impacts. The project area ranks in the 75th percentile for asthma statewide (CalEnviroScreen 4.0).
Why?
In the 1970s, over 280 homes were demolished to build State Route 252 through Southcrest, historically redlined, low-income community of color. Through community organizing, most of the freeway was stopped, but the 43rd street ramps remain today and continue to occupy land, pollute, and divide neighborhoods.
The Vision
-
Community Land Trust (CLT) model ensuring permanent affordability for families earning 30-80% Area Median Income (AMI)
-
Green infrastructure, naturalized creek flow, urban cooling to combat extreme heat and flooding
-
Local jobs, small business space, and wealth-building in the San Diego Promise Zone
-
Reconnect Southeast San Diego and National City communities divided for 50+ years.
-
Public art honoring Black, Mexican, Indigenous, and Asian Pacific Islander leadership.
This project has the potential to transform 57 acres of divisive freeway infrastructure into:
Current Funding Status
In 2023, Mundo Gardens and Urban Collaborative Project CDC partnered with Caltrans District 11 to apply for the federal Reconnecting Communities: Neighborhood Access and Equity (RC:NAE) grant. The partnership was awarded $2 million to advance planning and community engagement, with Mundo Gardens serving as the lead agency.
That same year, SANDAG, with Mundo Gardens, Urban Collaborative Project CDC, Groundwork San Diego, and the Cities of San Diego and National City as partners, received a $25 million commitment from California’s Reconnecting Communities: Highways to Boulevards program. This funding was intended to support planning and early infrastructure work, with implementation scheduled to begin July 1, 2025.
In May 2025, the Legislature repurposed these funds before work could begin. The coalition is actively engaging with San Diego’s legislative delegation and state transportation agencies to restore this investment and maintain project momentum.
Partners & Broad Coalition Support
United behind this vision
Government Partners:
SD Association of Governments
Caltrans District 11
City of San Diego
San Diego County
City of National City
Community Partners:
UCP
Tipey Joa Native Warriors
SDSU Regional Sustainability
Mundo Gardens
Vision Culture Foundation
Black Federation
Groundwork San Diego
Paddle for Peace
Element. Institute of Science
What Leaders Are Saying:
“This project represents a once-in-a-generation opportunity to right historic wrongs and invest in a community that has waited 50 years for justice.”
“Removing these ramps isn’t just about transportation—it’s about reconnecting families, restoring land, and rebuilding community wealth.”
