OCTA event with local, state and federal representatives, marks finish of emergency project to help protect a critical link in Southern California’s rail network while also restoring a popular coastal trail
ORANGE – The Orange County Transportation Authority welcomed local, state and federal partners in San Clemente on Friday to officially reopen a section of the San Clemente Beach Trail at Mariposa Point, marking completion of a major project that strengthens protection for the coastal rail line while restoring an important recreational connection for the community.
The approximately $93 million OCTA project includes a nearly 1,400-foot catchment wall designed to protect the railroad track from falling rocks, soil and debris from the adjacent coastal bluff. The project also rebuilt and improved the pedestrian trail alongside the railroad, allowing residents and visitors to once again walk this scenic stretch of the San Clemente coastline.
“This is a great day for San Clemente and for everyone who values this beautiful coastline,” said OCTA Chair Jamey M. Federico. “We’re delivering on our commitment to protect a vital rail connection while returning an important community amenity to the public. This project also demonstrates what we can accomplish when OCTA, the city, state and federal agencies and the community work together toward a common goal.”
Photo caption: OCTA joins with city, state and federal leaders to officially cut the ribbon to reopen the San Clemente Beach Trail on Friday, Oct. 9, 2026.
Friday’s ribbon-cutting brought together OCTA Board members, San Clemente city leaders and state and federal partners who have supported efforts to protect the rail corridor and restore public access.
Construction began in September 2025 following years of coastal challenges that have affected both rail service and public access through the area. In January 2024, a landslide from private property above the railroad deposited soil and debris on the tracks at Mariposa Point and destroyed the city’s pedestrian bridge, severing the beach trail and forcing another interruption of passenger rail service.
OCTA and Metrolink responded by constructing an initial 200-foot protective wall, allowing regular passenger rail service to resume in March 2024.
The newly completed project provides substantially more protection along Mariposa Point. In addition to the nearly 1,400-foot catchment wall, crews constructed a new pedestrian bridge at Mariposa Channel and rebuilt the trail, including new handrail fencing, landscaping and other improvements. The trail portion of the overall project is estimated at approximately $24 million, funded primarily through state and federal sources.
“For the people of San Clemente and neighboring communities, reopening this trail means restoring a connection that is an important part of everyday life along our coast,” said OCTA Director Katrina Foley, also the Orange County Fifth District Supervisor. “At the same time, we know the work to protect this rail corridor must continue. Sand replenishment, shoreline protection and strong partnerships at every level are all critical as we confront the ongoing effects increasingly severe coastal conditions.”
Protecting a Critical Transportation Link
The LOSSAN Rail Corridor through San Clemente is a critical link in Southern California’s transportation network, carrying Metrolink and Amtrak Pacific Surfliner passenger trains as well as freight and military transportation. Since 2021, rail operations through San Clemente have been interrupted multiple times because of coastal bluff failures, beach loss, erosion and deterioration of shoreline protection.
“This project represents exactly the kind of progress we want to keep making in San Clemente – taking action now to protect the rail corridor while working closely with the city and community to preserve access to the coast,” said OCTA CEO Darrell E. Johnson. “We’re grateful to everyone who helped make today possible, especially the crews who worked in a very challenging coastal environment to deliver stronger public infrastructure and a restored trail for the community.”
The Mariposa Point project is one part of OCTA’s broader effort to protect the existing rail line while planning for its future. OCTA is advancing emergency work at several vulnerable locations through San Clemente, including reinforcing existing riprap, working to place up to 690,000 cubic yards of sand to help buffer the railroad from wave action, constructing additional shoreline protection and protecting the tracks from bluff movement.
In September, the OCTA Board declared an emergency along the coastal rail corridor to help accelerate contracting and other actions needed to advance protection efforts. OCTA has secured more than $300 million in state and federal funding for coastal rail stabilization and continues working with San Clemente and local, state and federal partners to move projects forward as quickly as possible.
OCTA is also planning for the corridor’s future through the Coastal Rail Resiliency Study, which evaluates strategies for protecting approximately 7 miles of railroad through Dana Point and San Clemente for the next 30 years. A separate state-led effort will examine longer-term solutions beyond that timeframe, including potential alternatives for relocating portions of the rail line away from the most vulnerable areas of the coast.
Present photo from October 2026:
How the trail looked in the immediate aftermath of the January 2024 landslide:
