OCTA Update; Still Pursuing Barrier Wall After Heavy Rain
Written by Jennifer McLawhorn, Managing Editor
Courtesy of OCTA
SAN CLEMENTE – As debris continues to fall near Mariposa Point, OCTA gives an update on the rail right-of-way.
RT&S has been reporting on the San Clemente landslide that occurred in January. On February 1st, OCTA announced it received an official emergency declaration from the State to allow it to access the necessary funds to protect the track. On February 2nd, OCTA announced that, along with Metrolink, it will construct a barrier wall in San Clemente. The daily update from OCTA states that it is still pursuing this option.
On February 7th, the Transportation Authority gave an update on the rail closure. Even as debris from the hillside continues to fall into the right-of-way near Mariposa Point, the track “remains stable.” Therefore, BNSF will resume running its overnight freight service at 10 mph. According to the update, the Class I is aware of the soil movement, and after inspecting the track, it has confirmed it is safe to proceed with freight operations.
Previously, OCTA and Metrolink crews had plastic tarps on the slope. These tarps will be removed, so teams can inspect the condition of the slope “and prepare for additional rain later this week.”
Additionally, the California Transportation Commission (CTC) has finished authorizing the $2 million request from OCTA for “debris removal and other pre-construction services, which the team will utilize to continue cleanup once the storms pass.”
