Pacific Surfliner rail route faces threat from coastal erosion

The Pacific Surfliner, a major rail corridor running between Los Angeles and San Diego in California, is facing significant threats from coastal erosion and climate change. As the second most heavily used intercity rail line in the United States, the route carries approximately 2.1 million passengers annually.

Experts from the Scripps Institution of Oceanography warn that rising sea levels, intense Pacific storms, and groundwater saturation are destabilizing the sandstone cliffs along the route. In areas such as San Clemente and the Del Mar Bluffs, landslides, storm surges, and flooding have caused repeated, lengthy service disruptions over the last five years. Authorities are currently attempting to secure the slopes using steel anchors to protect the tracks.