Sand trucked to San Clemente beaches to protect San Diego rail connection

More than 300 truckloads of sand from a quarry near Palm Springs are being delivered to a San Clemente beach this week as part of emergency efforts to protect the coastal tracks that are San Diego County’s only rail connection to the rest of the United States.

The 3,400 cubic yards is the initial deposit in a long-term plan to pull up to 540,000 cubic yards from various sources, including nearby ocean deposits, to shore up the tracks in San Clemente against beach erosion and sea-level rise, Orange County Transportation Authority officials said.

“This initial placement of sand highlights our dedication to securing our rail corridor and protecting our coast,” said OCTA Director Katrina Foley, also the county’s Fifth District supervisor, in a news release.

“Unfortunately, slow, excessive bureaucracy prohibits OCTA from bringing the remaining sand San Clemente desperately needs,” Foley said. “We must work collaboratively with all levels of government to expedite sand replenishment efforts and protect our iconic Orange County beaches.”

The work requires permits from the California Coastal Commission and other agencies. The Coastal Commission determined that some of the work proposed did not qualify for an emergency permit, and that OCTA would have to apply for a regular coastal development permit that takes more time.

The latest round of emergency work began with the repair and replacement of boulder riprap from April through June. Multiple landslides in the area have forced the suspension of train traffic for months at a time in recent years.

This week’s sand delivery is expected to cost OCTA about $900,000 and is part of a package of track protection projects planned for four different areas estimated to cost a total of about $310 million, officials said.

Before 2021, the seven-mile stretch of tracks through San Clemente operated largely uninterrupted for more than 125 years.

State and regional officials are working together on possible long-term solutions, which could include moving the segment of tracks to a new inland route, possibly along Interstate 5.

A similar effort is underway to reroute the train tracks away from the eroding coastal bluffs in Del Mar. Regional planning officials are working to determine a preferred route for a tunnel, which they say could be completed by 2035.