And with climate change fueling more intense storms, coastal erosion and sea level rise, closures of the ocean-side rail line are expected to become a regular occurrence. It’s time for Californians and transportation officials to face the inevitable reality: Saving the coastal line means moving it away from the unstable land of the ocean’s edge. Gavin Newsom’s administration urging that the California State Transportation Agency take the lead in managing the rail line and charting a path forward. “There is a crisis happening along this rail line and it hasn’t gotten the attention it deserves,” said Sen. Catherine Blakespear (D-Encinitas), who is chair of a Senate subcommittee looking at how to fix the struggling rail line. Making the coastal rail corridor safe and successful will not be cheap, easy or fast.

Source: Los Angeles Times February 14, 2024 14:35 UTC