SAN CLEMENTE, Calif. — The California Transportation Commission has awarded an additional $7.2 million in emergency funding to address the landslide issues that have halted Amtrak and Metrolink passenger service through San Clemente, the Orange County Transportation Authority announced.
The new funds, awarded Friday, follow an earlier $2 million award from the state for cleanup and pre-construction activities. With the latest funds in hand, Metrolink on Friday signed a design-build contract with construction firm Condon-Johnson & Associates to build a protective wall at the site where the Mariposa Trail Pedestrian Bridge was damaged by a Jan. 24 slide above the Surf Line tracks, as well as other work to protect the track from soil and debris. Cordon-Johnson has been involved in earlier emergency construction efforts along the rail line.
BNSF Railway continues to run freights through the site intermittently, at low speed overnight, when the team overseeing the slide project determines it is safe to do so. No timeline has been determined for the resumption of passenger service.
More rain is forecast for the area beginning Monday, with potential heavy rains on Tuesday.
