OCTA Awarded $7.2M for Barrier Wall; Slope Movement Accelerates

Courtesy of OCTA

SAN CLEMENTE, Calif. – Freight traffic halted once more after crews observed accelerated movement of the slope in San Clemente, and OCTA received $7.2 million for a catchment wall.

OCTA was awarded $7.2 million from the California Transportation Commission (CTC) that will go toward a constructing a catchment wall at Mariposa Point in San Clemente. This award comes in addition to a previous $2 million award from the state for cleanup and pre-construction activities. 

With this new award, Metrolink has signed “a design-build contract with Condon-Johnson & Associates, a construction firm that has worked with OCTA on previous emergency rail protection efforts in San Clemente.” The teams met with the contractor on Tuesday in order to begin “mobilizing and planning for the start of the construction.” The details of the contract are being finalized, and OCTA, Metrolink, and the LOSSAN Rail Agency will work together on finalizing a timeline for resuming passenger service. As of reporting, no timeline has been determined. 

Previously, OCTA and Metrolink had replaced the tarps on the site to protect the slope from further saturation. Throughout Tuesday, February 20^th, crews observed the slope continue to move as the area experienced rainfall. It has been reported that the slope movement has “accelerated from about 1 to 2 inches before the rain to about 10 to 12 inches.” Freight traffic had resumed at a reduced speed, but because of the additional rainfall and continued slope movement, freight operations have halted once more. The track is still stable, and both OCTA and Metrolink teams will inspect and re-evaluate the area on Wednesday, February 21^st.

GET CAUGHT UP ON THE SAN CLEMENTE LANDSLIDE:

• San Clemente Landslide Leads to Passenger Rail Suspension
• OCTA Working with Metrolink After San Clemente Landslide
• UPDATED: San Clemente Landslide; Upcoming Storm System, Continued Hillside Movement
• OCTA Update: Still Pursuing Barrier Wall After Heavy Rain
• UPDATE: OCTA and Metrolink Continue Work; Metrolink Issues RFP
• Continued Slope Movement Halts Freight Traffic in San Clemente