The Amtrak and Metrolink passenger train service between the counties of San Diego and Orange will be suspended for about six weeks for emergency work that started on Monday to stabilize the coastal railways in San Clemente.
The Orange County Transportation Authority will reconstruct the sand on the eroded beach, will repair the coatings of aging rocks and build another watershed wall, such as a retaining wall, to prevent the rocks and debris that fall from reaching the slopes, officials said.
“This temporary closure allows our teams to carry out urgent strengthening work to protect rail passengers, freight and public security operations,” said OCTA & Metrolink president Doug Charee, also Orange County supervisor, in a press release. “Although we recognize the drawback, this action is necessary to preserve long -term integrity of this vital rail link.”
Amtrak will continue to exploit trains between Oceanside and San Diego, and between San Juan Capistrano and San Luis Obispo, and will provide a bus bridge between Oceanside and San Juan Capistrano.
Cabor trains and Sprinter from the North County Transit district are not affected. Metrolink trains will also move to the south that Laguna Niguel / Mission Viejo on weekdays and San Juan Capistrano station on Saturdays and Sundays.
The landslides and the railway bed changing under the slopes just north of the Pendleton camp have stopped the passenger service via San Clemente for months both in recent years. OCTA officials have said that the area remains unstable and that urgent actions are necessary to prevent new interruptions.
OCTA has requested emergency permits for work in four areas in San Clemente, but so far, California Coastal Commission has only approved the work on the side of the Pisses beach north of Mariposa Point and a second watershed on the land side of the tracks in an area damaged by a landslide last year.
Rock Riprap will only be replaced in the existing imprint under approved permits. The coastal commission did not take any measure on a proposal aimed at extending the coatings along the Cyprus Shore district just north of the San Clemente State beach and asked for more information on this part of the project.
The members of the group of residents of San Clemente Save Our beaches were strongly opposed to the installation of any additional rock on the beach. Hard structures built on the beach reduce public access and can speed up erosion.
About 95% of the project is placement up to 540,000 cubic yards of sand on the eroding beach to protect the tracks and the unstable bluffing nearby, OCTA officials said.
The work will take place from 5 a.m. to 8 p.m. seven days a week, officials said. No night work is planned.
Originally published:
California Daily Newspapers
