It is hard to see any true fix being implemented within 5 years. Probably more. Using the usual bureaucratic process. The short term solution for reliability is obvious. But expensive. Stabilize the bluffs. Slides can strike at any time. Maybe the beach running could use more fortification. But storms powerful enough to disrupt traffic are rare. And the outages briefer on average. Slide protection is the biggest need. But Coastal Comm might not even approve the type of fix that would work. Because ugly.

I know some want a tunnel but even if the legislature can declare an emergency and fast track an agreement. How many years to confirm the underground conditions? To design? To fund? To bore out? Easily a decade?

How many more years if follow the normal process of studies, NIMBY meetings, politico outraged interventions, bureaucratic slog and pullback and loop back into the process, lawsuits, more studies, coordination with each created legislative body and commissions, more studies, more lawsuits, greased palms, horse trades, more studies, more lawsuits, tentative approvals, scandals, more lawsuits, resignations, settlements, final approvals, bids come in way over previous budgeted, more studies, more lawsuits, more compromises, more approvals, partial funding, partial construction, more funding, maybe, more partial construction, problems, more studies, more lawsuits, more redesign, more legislation, more approvals, more funding, maybe, final construction, testing, bureaucratic delays in certification, more lawsuits, finally opens?

The focus should be on short term solutions to regain reliability. The bluffs can be stabilized sufficiently. It's not a solid line of threat. There are breaks where the slopes are pulled back some from the track. catch walls would be enough there. I count about 2 miles in total needing work south of San Clemente. Maybe also along San Onofre SP.

Seattle airport did 2 miles of a tall stabilization wall for their airport expansion. Not the same as the bluffs but some similar soils in the area. Though they brought in their own fill. $1 billion. Maybe not the same solution for San Clemente. But some form of anchored stabilizing walls and terraces is technically doable.

Can get some money from assessing the homeowners above. Some from the city since saving homes saves some of their tax base. win-win for RR and community if politicians can ignore the whiny perfectionist NIMBY's complaining that it is ugly. And the environuts.

Get the governor to get the legislature to declare an emergency. Emergency planning, emergency approval, then emergency funding. If wait on the fed money then will take many years. But do they have the guts to for once go against their usual special interest groups and loudmouths and NIMBY's and activists? I doubt it.

Big money for a slope fix and maybe some money for further rip rap and concrete to harden the shore side will secure the line's reliability for decades. Del Mar is an issue but different. And they have a plan and some funding.

But solving San Clemente beach running beneath the bluffs now will solve most of the need for a bypass tunnel. Which is why tunnel supporters may be against fixing the bluffs. So we could get decades more of slides and interruptions instead of a fix that will cost maybe 10 percent of what the tunnel will. I bet that is what happens. Even in Byzantine bureaucratic CA an emergency fix could be done. But it would be against their nature and recent track record. So won't happen.

Noting the budget deficit — the state faces a projected deficit of $37.9 billion this year

Yeah that is an issue. But doesn't have to prevent the start of emergency declarations and coordination and prep and planning. If the gov and legislature even have the legal ability to do that. But they're Dems, so even if they don't that hasn't stopped them before if they really want something.

Funny how last year PHall and SCUbafoamer and pdt and fellow travelers would yell that CA had a 30 billion budget surplus. As if no one could recognize COVID rebound spending was not going to sustain. Or the sleight of hand that didn't fully factor in pension and other obligations in that figure. How long will the tough choices continue to be punted forward? At some point no money will be available for bluff stabilization or tunnels or CAHSR completion.