Stabilizing San Clemente rail corridor with sand and rocks

Orange County officials have approved a series of projects to stabilize the coastal rail corridor through San Clemente.

According to the Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA), the measures include adding over 500,000 cubic yards of sand and repairing rock structures along the rail line, which is part of the Los Angeles-San Diego-San Luis Obispo (LOSSAN) corridor.

The California Coastal Commission’s permit approvals also include installing a 1,400-foot catchment wall to hold debris from landslides and restoring a pedestrian trail at Mariposa Point.

This corridor has faced disruptions since 2021 due to erosion and landslides.

The California Coastal Commission granted emergency permits to OCTA, but now the transportation authority needs to obtain permits from the Army Corps of Engineers for the sand, with the project expected to start next year.