Downtown San Diego - Infrastructure

Infrastructure

Streets are laid out in a grid pattern and many are designated for one-way traffic. North/south roads have both names and numbers. The named roads begin with Harbor Blvd then move east past Pacific, Kettner, India, Columbia, State, Union and Front Street. The roads then numbered and are called Avenues, starting at 1st Avenue and contunuing to Park Blvd (12th Ave) The general pattern is that even numbered streets head south, and odd numbered streets go north. East/west streets are laid out alphabetically from A to K, with the exception of D,H & I which are replaced with Broadway, Market and Island streets respectively. Steets north of A Street are named after trees and start with Ash Street, and going up to Laurel.

Main thoroughfares include Broadway and Market Streets (east/west), and Harbor Drive, Pacific Highway and Park Ave (north/south).

Three freeways either pass through or start/end in downtown San Diego. Highway 163 ends in downtown with the southbound lane of the freeway becoming 10th Ave and 11th Ave becoming the northbound lane at Ash Street. Interstate 5 passes above the downtown area and is accessible from selected streets outside of the actual downtown area or at the intersection of 10th/11th and Ash (where 163 starts/ends). Additionally, Highway 94 enters downtown from the east, with westbound 94 becoming F Street and G street becoming eastbound 94.

The downtown area is served by the San Diego Metropolitan Transit System, the San Diego Trolley. There is also a commuter train linking downtown with northern San Diego County, called the Coaster, which also stops at communities along the San Diego County costaline, as well as the Amtrak passenger rail system.

Parking is mainly concentrated in various "pay to park" lots, with metered parking spaces along side most streets. There is also parking available at the County operation center (located between Harbor Drive and Pacific Highway, just north of Ash), as well as Horton Plaza and Seaport Village shopping areas.