Two public meetings – an online meeting, followed by an in-person meeting – are scheduled for Oct. 28 and 29, respectively, to receive additional input on plans for the coastal rail line
ORANGE – The Orange County Transportation Authority is advancing its Coastal Rail Resiliency Study (CRRS), a planning effort focused on safeguarding the Los Angeles–San Diego–San Luis Obispo (LOSSAN) Rail Corridor along the south Orange County coast.
The OCTA Board of Directors earlier this month advanced the study, which aims to identify and evaluate strategies that would protect the 7-mile coastal rail segment between Dana Point and the San Diego County line from erosion, bluff instability, and the effects of ocean waves nearing the rail line.
The CRRS builds on OCTA’s ongoing work to ensure the safety and reliability of passenger and freight rail service while protecting coastal access and the environment. The study is part of a broader, multi-agency effort to address both immediate and long-term challenges to one of the nation’s most important rail corridors.
“After years of reacting to sea encroaching and bluff destabilization along our rail corridor, we begin studying viable, proactive solutions for the future. While the state undertakes the long-term study to potentially relocate the LOSSAN Rail Corridor, OCTA continues advancing our mid-term stabilization efforts,” said OCTA Director Katrina Foley, also the County’s Fifth District Supervisor. “By investing in sand renourishment to save Orange County’s eroding beaches, OCTA protects our ocean economy and national security, while ensuring rail stability for local commuters for decades to come.”
To ensure continued public participation, OCTA will host two public meetings to share updates and gather input on the study’s progress and preliminary options:
- Virtual Public Meeting
Tuesday, Oct. 28, 2025 – 5 to 6:30 p.m.
Zoom: https://bit.ly/CRRS-Oct28
Webinar ID: 889 5281 6018
Call-in: 213-338-8477 - In-Person Public Meeting
Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2025 – 5 to 6:30 p.m.
San Clemente City Hall, Council Chambers
910 Calle Negocio, San Clemente, CA 92673
Continued public feedback this fall will help shape the study and contribute to a final feasibility report expected in 2026.
The CRRS is part of OCTA’s proactive approach to enhancing resiliency of the LOSSAN Rail Corridor, which serves nearly 8 million passengers annually and is a vital freight route supporting Southern California’s economy. The study complements ongoing emergency stabilization work in San Clemente and advances short-term to mid-term efforts that will protect rail service, coastal access, and the local environment for up to the next 30 years.
A separate state-led study will look at solutions beyond 30 years, potentially including relocating the rail line inland.
For more information, visit www.octa.net/CRRS.
