Orange County Coastal Rail Resiliency Study
OCTA is studying rail challenges in south Orange County to assess existing and future environmental risks and issues with operations and maintenance along the Los Angeles – San Diego – San Luis Obispo (LOSSAN) Rail Corridor. The study will evaluate strategies to address these challenges.
Study Overview
OCTA owns 40+ miles of rail between the cities of San Clemente and Fullerton. This vital link in the 351-mile LOSSAN Rail Corridor is the second busiest passenger rail corridor in the nation and annually carries more than $1 billion in freight throughout Southern California. Between Los Angeles and San Diego, the line is designated as a Strategic Rail Corridor Network by the Department of Defense due to its connectivity with military bases and major ports.
Near heavily populated and built-out residential and commercial areas, this rail line is vulnerable to catastrophic failure due to changing environmental conditions and coastal erosion, rendering passenger rail service inoperable for extended periods. Service suspension has occurred multiple times over the last several years, underscoring the importance of addressing the vulnerability of the railroad.
Study Objectives
The Coastal Rail Resiliency Study (CRRS) will evaluate strategies to protect the railroad in place for up to 30 years and ensure uninterrupted rail operations while minimizing passenger and freight service disruptions. It will include a detailed analysis of seven miles of critical coastal track between Dana Point and San Clemente at the San Diego County line.
Key milestones include conducting an initial assessment to identify and evaluate locations at immediate risk; establishing evaluation criteria to consider potential alternative concepts; developing these concepts, and ultimately presenting draft and final feasibility study reports.
A separate long-term study will look at potential rail line relocation to an inland alignment between San Juan Capistrano and San Onofre State Beach. Given the potential magnitude of this effort, it will require involvement of state and federal agencies. Discussions are underway to determine which agency is best positioned to lead that effort.
Study Milestones
|
milestones
|
TIMELINE |
|---|---|
| Initial Assessment | Initiate: Nov 2023 Release Report: Feb 2024 |
| Listening Sessions | Winter 2024 |
| Purpose and Need/Evaluation Criteria | Draft: Spring 2024 |
| Initial Concept Development | Spring to Fall 2024 Obtain feedback from stakeholders and interest groups: Fall 2024 |
| Refinement of Concepts | Refined Concepts: Spring 2025 Obtain feedback from stakeholders and interest groups: Spring 2025 |
| Draft Study Report | Draft: Spring to Summer 2025 Obtain feedback from stakeholders and interest groups: Summer 2025 |
| Final Study Report | Final Report: Fall 2025 Present to Board/Publish Final Report: Fall 2025 |
Public Involvement
Public involvement is a critical study component and fundamental to shaping its outcome. Listening sessions with stakeholders took place from January to May 2024. Engagement will occur regularly throughout this 24-month study. Check back for updates.
Presentations and recordings of previous meetings are available to view under the listening session schedule section.
Listening Session Schedule
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Meetings
|
Date & Time |
|---|---|
| Project Development Meeting | Thurs., January 18 – 1:30 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. View Presentation: PDF | Video |
| Stakeholder Working Group | Weds., Feb. 14 - 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. View Presentation: PDF | Video |
| Major Employers, Key Destinations and Business Interests | Thurs., Feb. 15 – 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. View Presentation: PDF | Video |
| Freight and Goods Movement | Weds., March 6 - 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. View Presentation: PDF | Video |
| Emergency Responders | Tues., March 12 – 2:00 p.m. to 3 p.m. View Presentation: PDF | Video |
| Coastal and Marine Habitat CBO’s – Hybrid | Weds., March 20 –10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. View Presentation: PDF | Video |
| Residential Groups | Weds., April 3 – 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. View Presentation: PDF | Video View Q & A: PDF |
| Public #1 – Virtual | Thurs., April 11 - 5:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. View Presentation: PDF | Video View Q & A: PDF |
| Bluff Residents Listening Session | Wed., May 22 - 5:00-6:30 p.m. View Presentation: PDF | Video |
| Public #2 – In-Person | Thurs., May 30 – 5:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. San Clemente City Hall View Presentation: PDF | Audio Recording | Written Comments |
Resources
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