Train service linking Orange and San Diego counties has once again been halted — this time for an estimated six weeks — as crews attempt to reinforce a particularly unstable section of coastline in San Clemente that has for years imperiled the critical railway line.
Due to the closures that began Monday, Metrolink’s Orange County and Inland Empire-Orange County train routes will temporarily begin and end at the Laguna Niguel/Mission Viejo Station — completely shuttering service to the lines’ four most southern stops: San Juan Capistrano, San Clemente, San Clemente Pier and Oceanside. No bus or detour service will be provided.
Amtrak’s Pacific Surfliner line will also be disrupted by the construction work, but a bypass bus will run between Irvine and Oceanside, allowing for a complete trip.
The temporary disruptions come just weeks after transportation authorities called for emergency repairs “to stabilize four areas most vulnerable to failure above the railroad track through San Clemente,” according to the Orange County Transportation Authority.
“Emergency action is necessary to address urgent threats from slope and beach erosion and to protect the community, rail passengers and overall rail operations,” OCTA said in an update. The San Clemente project is focused on construction that aims “to protect the rail line from coastal erosion and landslide activity,” Metrolink officials said in an update about the closures.
This section of oceanside railway in San Clemente, and other areas of coastal Orange County, have repeatedly been closed in recent years as coastal erosion, landslides and rockfalls have continued to affect the stability and safety of the track.
Railway officials have been under pressure to find a long-term solution for the critical railway, which provides both public transportation and key freight services. Advocates and lawmakers have become increasingly worried about the LOSSAN rail corridor — which stands for Los Angeles-San Diego-San Luis Obispo — as climate change and declining ridership threaten the future of the line. However, there’s been little movement to find or fund a permanent fix for the corridor.
Amtrak’s rail service through San Diego County is also experiencing frequent schedule changes due to a similar construction project aimed at stabilizing the bluffs in Del Mar.
The construction to take place in San Clemente over the next several weeks is the first phase of a larger emergency project that OCTA authorities expect to take a year to complete. The initial work will restore rock reinforcements, known as riprap, along the tracks that have degraded due to wave damage and beach erosion, the agency said. Crews are also expected to place 240,000 cubic yards of sand in the area to help “stabilize the slope and protect the track.”
