The state announced $38 million more is headed to the North County to stabilize the bluffs and protect the railroad line between Orange County and San Diego County. NBC 7’s Joe Little reports.
Thursday, the state announced an additional $38 million for improvements and repairs that would be shared by the San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) and the North County Transit District.
The line has been threatened and closed several times by bluff collapses and unstable cliffs.
“Mother Nature has really been having a little trouble with this rail line,” Solana Beach mayor Lesa Heebner said with a sigh.
It doesn’t help that the line linking San Diego County with the rest of the state is one of the busiest in the country.
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“They've got the Amtrak, Pacific Surfliner,” said Heebner, who is also the second vice-chair of the SANDAG board. "We've got the Coaster. We've got the Metrolink, and we've got freight that comes and goes."
The challenge for SANDAG and state transportation leaders is keeping the cliffs and tracks from collapsing altogether. SANDAG has already invested millions in reinforcing the bluffs in Del Mar and adding another set of tracks in Oceanside.
“The money that we're going to be receiving today is going to help us stabilize those bluffs for more reliable service on the rail line,” said Heebner. “That's going to keep that rail line safe for another 20, 25 years.”
