Eric Richardson [Flickr]

File photo of the San Diego Trolley passing by the Hilton Gaslamp.

DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES — A large group from Downtown is headed south today, taking part in a Bringing Back Broadway field trip to San Diego's Gaslamp District. Councilman Jose Huizar and Councilwoman Jan Perry headline a list of fifty-two folks taking the short trip down the coast, looking to learn lessons that can help in the revitalization of Broadway.

Planning Department head Gail Goldberg came to Los Angeles from San Diego, where she was head City Planner. She's put together an itinerary for Friday that includes tours of the area and talks with those who were involved in the redevelopment of the once seedy Gaslamp District into a very popular nightlife destination.

Most attendees will be making good use of the transit system in their trip, boarding an Amtrak train at Union Station and taking San Diego's Trolley from the station to their hotel.

This is the second field trip put together by the Bringing Back Broadway project. In April, a smaller group visited Portland and Seattle to learn about streetcar projects in those two cities.

Note: I'll be on the San Diego excursion, so if coverage is a bit light during the day tomorrow, know that I'm getting lots of good stuff that'll be making its way onto the site shortly.