FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 19, 2025
Latisha Townsend – Communications Director, Supervisor Foley
(714) 559-8364 | Latisha.Townsend@ocgov.com
OC Vice Chair Katrina Foley Releases Statement on San Clemente Rail Closure
ORANGE COUNTY, CALIFORNIA — Crews continue to make strong progress on emergency efforts to reinforce the most vulnerable areas along the rail line in San Clemente. Project leaders announced this week that they will continue to work seven days a week, including through Memorial Day weekend, to finish the work and safely reopen the track to passenger rail service as soon as possible.
"Protecting our transportation infrastructure along the coast remains a top priority. Our teams continue to work around-the-clock, and even through Memorial Day weekend, to finish quickly for rail customers," said Vice Chair Katrina Foley. "This critical effort of repairing our rail line is about safeguarding our coastal communities, ensuring safe passenger service, and reinforcing our resilience against climate impacts."
This week, crews continued to strategically place large boulders, also known as riprap, in Project Areas 1 and 2. With most of the work in Area 2 complete, the Mariposa Pedestrian Undercrossing in this area reopened for beach access. And since the work began in late April, approximately 4,200 tons of riprap have been placed next to the track to repair and replace previous riprap.
The construction team, in coordination with California Coastal Commission staff, determined that the work area needs to be extended to the area between Project Areas 1 and 2 to safely and effectively protect the entire rail line through that segment. The modification approved by the Coastal Commission will add a 530-foot-long segment of riprap slope repair and reinforcement (referred to as Area 1a). This work is not expected to affect the overall timeline for the repairs, still anticipated for completion in early June.
Construction work is scheduled to continue daily, primarily between 5 a.m. and 8 p.m. Some beach access points may be inaccessible during construction. Beachgoers will be safely guided around work zones on the coastal side.
The riprap is being strategically sorted and placed primarily within the area where riprap previously existed to fortify the track and protect against coastal erosion. Approximately 240,000 cubic yards of sand will also be placed on the beach in Areas 1 and 2 between Mariposa Point and North Beach.
The California Coastal Commission earlier this month granted the Orange County Transportation Authority, which owns the coastal rail line and is leading the project, a permit to build a 1,400-foot-long catchment wall in Area 3, on the inland side of the track. The schedule to construct that wall is still being determined. On Friday, the California Transportation Commission approved the allocation of $92 million for the construction of the catchment wall.
Amtrak Pacific Surfliner and Metrolink passenger rail service will remain temporarily halted until the current work is finished next month. For the latest updates on rail service, passengers are asked to check www.pacificsurfliner.com/alerts and metrolinktrains.com/service-updates.
In Previous News
OCTA submitted an emergency Coastal Development Permit application to the Coastal Commission that was partially approved in April. Additional work was approved on May 7. The total package of projects is estimated to cost approximately $300 million. The project components consist of 95% sand and 5% armoring.
“I commend the Coastal Commission’s efficiency in approving this critical emergency permit and their recognition of the need to protect our rail line and re-establish the Mariposa Point pedestrian trail in this area. I also appreciate the continued progress toward finding sand sources. My team continues to work on bringing sand from the Del Prado Dam through the rail line to prevent thousands of long truck trips and expedite sand delivery overall,” said Vice Chair Katrina Foley. “I urge the Coastal Commission to reconsider their rejection of an emergency at Area 4. The 300,000 cubic yards of sand planned for Area 4 is needed immediately to create a wide sandy buffer between the ocean and the railroad and to save our beaches.”
The current work in Areas 1 and 2, estimated to cost approximately $10 million, is underway, utilizing an emergency authorization from the California Coastal Commission.
For the latest on the project, visit www.octa.net/railemergency.
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Orange County Supervisor Katrina Foley was elected to the Board of Supervisors in 2022 to represent the newly established District 5, which includes the cities of Aliso Viejo, Costa Mesa, Dana Point, a large portion of Irvine, Laguna Beach, Laguna Hills, Laguna Niguel, Laguna Woods, Newport Beach, San Clemente, San Juan Capistrano, as well as the unincorporated areas of Coto de Caza, Emerald Bay, Ladera Ranch, Las Flores, Rancho Mission Viejo, Stonecliffe and Wagon Wheel. This is her second term on the Board of Supervisors, where she previously served District 2.
Vice Chair Foley’s 2025 Board appointments include:
Chair – Orange County Housing Finance Trust,
Orange County Audit Oversight Committee,
Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA),
Vice Chair – OCTA Legislative and Communications Committee, Regional Transportation Committee,
Los Angeles – San Diego – San Luis Obispo (LOSSAN) Rail Corridor Agency,
Transportation Corridor Agency (TCA), TCA Joint Capital Improvements and Projects Committee,
San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (SONGS) Community Engagement Panel,
Co-Chair – Spent Fuel Solutions Coalition,
Orange County Public Libraries Advisory Board, Coastal Greenbelt Authority,
Newport Bay and South Orange County Watershed Executive Committees,
Ocean Institute, Orange County Community Corrections
Partnership (OCCCP), Santa Ana River Flood Control Protection Agency,
and the Orange County Juvenile Justice Coordinating Council.
