Securing Our Coastline

Mike believes the recurrent landslides in our district are a constant reminder that we must continue to take the climate crisis seriously and invest in support systems to ensure residents are safe and our infrastructure is sound. He is fighting to bring federal resources to our district for long-term solutions.

Mike is specifically focused on federal funding for three types of critical projects to protect our coastal infrastructure: sand, stabilization, and stakeholder engagement. These investments provide protection for the Los Angeles – San Diego – San Luis Obispo Rail Corridor (LOSSAN Corridor) tracks that run immediately adjacent to our coast.

Mike secured $30.5 million for the initial phase of the Encinitas-Solana Beach Coastal Storm Damage Reduction Project, which involves placing 700,000 cubic yards of sand along 7,200 feet of beach in Solana Beach and 340,000 cubic yards of sand along 7,800 feet of beach in Encinitas. The first beach nourishment concluded earlier this year, and the federal government is now required to put more sand on the beach regularly over the next 50 years.

Mike delivered $9.3 million for the first phase of the San Clemente Shoreline Protection Project, which will place sand on the City beach from Linda Lane to T-street, a distance of about 3,400 feet. Like the project in North County, San Clemente will also receive regular beach nourishments for decades to come.

These critical sand replenishment projects will widen the beaches to reduce storm damage, improve safety, and expand recreational benefits for the public.

Stabilization projects are also essential for our region. Mike announced that more than $53.8 million in new federal funds will go to the North County Transit District (NCTD) to replace the 108-year-old San Dieguito River Railway Bridge. Replacing the bridge is the first step in potentially relocating LOSSAN rail tracks off the bluffs in the Del Mar section.

Mike delivered $11.5 million to the San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) and NCTD for the Del Mar Bluffs Stabilization project to assist with eroding coastal bluffs in Del Mar. This project includes the design, environmental, and construction components of a project that will help install subsurface drainage, as well as concrete channels, storm drains, and support piles.

Mike also announced that the LOSSAN Corridor was selected for the Federal Railroad Administration’s Corridor ID Program. This will provide a $500,000 federal grant for planning and development of long-term improvements to the LOSSAN Corridor between San Diego and San Luis Obispo. The Corridor ID Program will be critical to unlocking future federal funding sources to prevent further coastal erosion and landslides from impacting service.

Finally, Mike has secured federal dollars to assist with stakeholder engagement to help find long-term solutions for the LOSSAN Corridor. In 2024, he secured $4 million for the Coastal Rail Corridor Relocation Study, which will help the Orange County Transportation Authority study potential relocation of approximately 11 miles of the LOSSAN Corridor through South Orange County.