Clairemont Drive is a simple intermediate stop on the Blue Line Midcoast extension. The station is tucked into a fairly narrow ROW with the two trolley tracks tucked in right between Morena Blvd and the two tracks of the LOSSAN rail corridor used by the Coaster and Amtrak Pacific Surfliner. The I-5 freeway is just to the east of the station. The station’s namesake street Clairemont Drive crosses over the railroad right of way and the I-5 freeway, with an interchange just north of the station platforms.
The station consists of two side platforms for the two track line, these platforms have four pedestrian connections: two at each end that dip down to track level and two more towards the northern and southern ends of each platform that require a step to get from the 6 inch high platform down to the pedestrian-crossing. Each of these platforms have two larger canopy structures with brown support beams holding up cream colored canopy roofs.
The San Ysidro-bound platform contains a decorative wall with smaller pastel blue and light blue tiles towards the top and larger blocks of orange, beige and white tiles below; this wall acts as a windscreen, separating this platform from passing Coaster and Amtrak trains.
The UTC-bound platform contains what is basically a jersey barrier as the platform wall with a fence on the top of it, separating it from the southbound traffic lanes of Morena Blvd. All access to the station is at the southern or northern end of this platform. Near the southern end of this platform, a short ramp leads down to the northern crosswalk (there isn’t a crosswalk at the southern side of this intersection) of the T-intersection of Morena Blvd and Ingulf Street. The sidewalk doesn’t continue farther south on the train tracks side of the street. At the northern end of the platform a sidewalk continues along the train tracks, under the Morena Blvd overpass, leading to the next T-intersection to Gesner Street. This intersection isn’t very pedestrian friendly with only a crosswalk at the northern side of the intersection, not the southern side requiring any pedestrians going to destinations on Gesner Street to cross two streets instead of on and double-back on themselves.
For access to Clairemont Blvd there is a staircase up from the east side of Morena Blvd across from the station to the overpass, near the northern end of the platforms, but as there is no crosswalk at this this staircase, passengers must exit via the crosswalk at Ingulf Street and walk back north.
Photos 1-25: July 24, 2022
Tecolote Road