[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6527378,"mediaKeyId","3632363-110ed4f18067cd6d705ae3e451b39357","parentId",3632363,"title","Engineers warn coastal landslides, liquefaction and fault crossings threaten Losan corridor reliability","audioSeconds",263,"startMs",5195000,"endMs",5458000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3632363-110ed4f18067cd6d705ae3e451b39357&start=5195&end=5458","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3632363-110ed4f18067cd6d705ae3e451b39357/thumbnail_5195000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6527378/California/Engineers-warn-coastal-landslides-liquefaction-and-fault-crossings-threaten-Losan-corridor-reliability","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6527378-6db084b1629a1ce4b755d7971464ada3/orig.mp4?Expires=1770440954&Signature=FJU3B4hNyvbzU~027CiS1ixxET2O5kRU0swtGpUYH61WkWQ-goT9CjA5OEcnNP384~Y636zFQm13eqKR13ZylZlULPp1Tn4xB945zx5gP7nWGv9USpkELUOTJjK0CJvlUvVBGVyVw1SSmgsc1bvL31f~hbaC-wuHa-gK7BLDnYkdPTQZurTJweFQxj0IV~Cyzv4d3n0IJk8UIUCu0ADapb1CqdIf2T7Um~G4t54PrcFtivsbgpIsNjssp67EAkZLXaAhIxiAPCVnoQ6sg3FN4GqX7bxXjN5GMaVYuC5RlBqm3csdccpR1IY6gtu99jlB-xiqThewats9Lgp9Bb~27w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","California State Senate","date","2025-05-30T00:00:00Z","article","A University of California, Los Angeles geotechnical specialist told a Senate subcommittee that the Losan rail corridor faces multiple geohazards — coastal landslides, liquefaction in low‑lying soils and fault crossings that can produce surface rupture — and that these hazards are growing in frequency or consequence as climate change increases storm intensity and coastal erosion.

Jonathan Stewart, a civil and environmental engineering professor at UCLA, described the corridor’s vulnerabilities and recommended regional mapping and sensor deployment so agencies can anticipate slope movement and measure ground shaking in real time.

Why it matters: Repeated temporary closures in the corridor stem in part from coastal slope failures and storm damage. The subcommittee heard that treating rail repairs with the same urgency used on highway repairs — and investing in monitoring equipment — could allow operators to reduce risk and shut lines only where necessary rather than responding to sudden collapses.

Key technical points

- Coastal landslides and undercutting: Stewart said much of California’s coastal bluff material is “weakly cemented rock” that weathers and becomes prone to wave undercutting and slope failure; he recommended hazard mapping to identify high‑risk segments.

- Liquefaction and earthquake effects: Stewart pointed to areas where ground liquefaction and shaking could cause track buckling or lateral displacements. He also described the risk of surface fault rupture at some crossings.

- Instrumentation and early warning: Stewart recommended inclinometers and accelerometers along the corridor to detect slow slope movement and to measure shaking intensity so agencies can institute targeted inspections or temporary shutdowns when sensors indicate likely damage.

Quotes from the hearing

- Jonathan Stewart, UCLA: “Landslides will sometimes begin with subtle movement and then advance to something much more severe.”

What agencies can do now

Stewart said the state geological survey’s mapped liquefaction and landslide hazard zones should guide investment priorities; he also urged agencies to install monitoring sensors in known vulnerable segments and develop rapid inspection protocols tied to sensor thresholds.

Ending

Senators in the hearing framed geohazard mitigation and monitoring as operational priorities that dovetail with fleet and service plans — both to protect passengers and to reduce the likelihood that the corridor will be closed unexpectedly during high‑demand periods.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Senate Transportation Subcommittee on Lossan Rail Corridor Resiliency","oneSentenceSummary","UCLA geotechnical experts told the Senate subcommittee that coastal landslides, soil liquefaction and surface‑fault rupture pose recurring risks to the Losan corridor and urged hazard mapping, instrumentation and preemptive monitoring to reduce surprise service outages.","taxTitle","California State Senate, Senate, Legislative, California","taxId",77650,"location","California","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6527383,"Analysts warn state funding gap and governance limits could constrain rail upgrades; LAO, transit groups urge clearer revenue plan",1050,3600000,4650000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3632363-110ed4f18067cd6d705ae3e451b39357&start=3600&end=4650","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3632363-110ed4f18067cd6d705ae3e451b39357/thumbnail_3600000.jpg","/articles/6527383/California/Analysts-warn-state-funding-gap-and-governance-limits-could-constrain-rail-upgrades-LAO-transit-groups-urge-clearer-revenue-plan","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6527383-61ff1da352419922f6804dd5a5d8a6d6/orig.mp4?Expires=1770440954&Signature=iEgFWrKucEQzx8zWElaI4nQ2Cm5wDOc21LBIaYl99nAgvdKQIWRQ8yvghFxc3csURJgidNbuIq0zxSw~QRjrpjvgLttfmc5seBk~Bw2VReBbeuN6oAPOqWSqALJJodr0F1RyvSOb-6GdSkth~56ntecQquEdgYVQPRfuuA~c95BhSAApQTl1GvOx-LdxYdJkqFKcGNle9jqgl7~lPx2y5rMlpS4E1axBgSGyWhjlT2DFOCgyaTfuzrYqRiTzj6tWv5hZgs5ayzbQCHj~cRLa1AZtFNmOeIb3MvOf00d9rT5CterjtpZXJtYKV1Sh5jPmBCtROJyJR14Pt9kSe9yDjQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The California Legislative Analyst’s Office (LAO), California Transit Association and regional experts told a Senate subcommittee that the Losan corridor’s expansion and reliability work will rely on a clearer, durable statewide funding strategy and improved regional coordination.

Frank Jimenez, a senior fiscal and policy analyst at the LAO, said the state currently provides ongoing funding to state‑supported routes through programs funded by the public transportation account and that the state support intercity rail program provides $131,000,000 annually to the three joint powers authorities that manage those routes. He said the 2425 budget package included a short‑term augmentation of that program and that the state rail assistance program is another source that fluctuates with diesel sales tax receipts.

Why it matters: Panelists said federal pandemic relief and recent state augmentations helped agencies while ridership is still below pre‑pandemic levels, but those temporary supports are winding down and there is no single, dedicated long‑term revenue source for corridor operations and surge service.

Key points from analysts and advocates

- LAO summary of the funding picture: Jimenez said fare revenues historically covered roughly 50%–70% of operating costs before the pandemic; state support historically covered 30%–50% depending on the line, and federal relief was temporary. He warned that “absent ridership returning or ongoing funding solution, these fiscal pressures may continue to persist.”

- Transit association concerns: Michael Pimentel, executive director of the California Transit Association, said a proposed revision to the governor’s cap‑and‑trade “cap and invest” plan could threaten previously committed greenhouse gas reduction fund expenditures that supported transit and rail. He said rescinding or reallocating those funds would accelerate a fiscal cliff for transit agencies.

- Governance and coordination: UCLA researchers and transit advocates urged a stronger corridorwide governance or “network manager” approach to integrate fare systems, schedules, and service planning across multiple operators. Jacob Wasserman of UCLA described models where regional branding and centralized planning improved transfers and passenger information.

- Local self‑help and ballots: Panelists and several public commenters noted ongoing local efforts to place regional funding measures before voters and urged that the Legislature consider authorizing or facilitating local self‑help measures (for example by adjusting vote thresholds) while protecting existing state transit commitments.

Quotations from the hearing

- Frank Jimenez, Legislative Analyst’s Office: “Absent ridership returning or ongoing funding solution, these fiscal pressures may continue to persist.”
- Michael Pimentel, California Transit Association: (summarizing state funding risk) \"Failure to protect existing commitments erodes our ability as an industry to make continued progress.\" (paraphrase of testimony)

Context and tradeoffs

LAO presented options the Legislature could consider: ongoing state support, one‑time funding to buy time while ridership recovers, or new revenue sources such as transportation taxes, bond measures or redirected cap‑and‑trade funds. Analysts warned that any new state commitment would reduce funds available for other budget priorities and that ongoing support should come with performance expectations so that state funds are linked to ridership, service productivity or other measurable outcomes.

Ending

Panelists urged the subcommittee to move rapidly on funding clarity and to consider governance reforms that make corridor planning, ticketing and service integration easier for riders and for operating agencies.","Legislative Analyst Office and transit advocates told the Senate subcommittee that state support and one‑time supplements have helped, but declining federal relief, uncertain cap‑and‑trade allocations and fragmented governance raise risks for sustained service increases on the Losan corridor.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6527388,"State officials outline plan to add seats and surge service on Losan rail corridor ahead of 2028 Games",270,1217000,1487000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3632363-110ed4f18067cd6d705ae3e451b39357&start=1217&end=1487","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3632363-110ed4f18067cd6d705ae3e451b39357/thumbnail_1217000.jpg","/articles/6527388/California/State-officials-outline-plan-to-add-seats-and-surge-service-on-Losan-rail-corridor-ahead-of-2028-Games","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6527388-f1ba4a30e89cbaa0f5d45bc74ed7416c/orig.mp4?Expires=1770440954&Signature=m86xcqT1oBEtiPw6wDK-6PMBqKJGhNAqvklpUCmKjwQDGLtvzPgn2OOOMJ0QzuXyFCR7p2nkSpD1McGQbMfEuGJr3zMj3WwHhH96kmAjHYsanXcrXtXAvzgE2VDCOVD6Z1RrHZ3tmDUjaiJbZThbGq404dHcYYLFGGKgpjXX93rxW-1QLyUaSwkpHvJO7ZAbbZVn7~W3r2NlOnAskKJVVBk8JlTtxiKznb6hgNs3ZlwuzH6NUR4yDS7Le-H8Qc0fxW3efGz85QMWRLMBdAMVg8NLwwrcMFhmvTzRs-J8pyRd1nEJHbIsmFzySPN0pXaAmOhK9Fxy0gApY0MJa2YMmQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","California State Transportation Agency (CalSTA) officials and Los Angeles event coordinators told a California State Senate subcommittee on the Losan (Los Angeles–San Diego–San Luis Obispo) rail corridor that the state is planning a substantial increase in passenger rail capacity ahead of major international events in 2026–2028.

Chad Edison, chief deputy secretary of rail and transit at CalSTA, told the subcommittee that the state is targeting “about 40% to the total seats available across our inner city rail fleet statewide between now and 2028.” He said the plan combines newly ordered zero‑emission trainsets, short‑term leases of legacy equipment, and comprehensive overhauls of the state‑owned bilevel rail cars.

Why it matters: The subcommittee met at Los Angeles Union Station with local and state partners to press agencies on how to make the corridor reliable and scalable for three consecutive, high‑demand events — the 2026 FIFA World Cup, a 2027 Super Bowl and the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games — and for everyday regional travel. Lawmakers and agency staff said added capacity will be essential to move both visitors and residents without increasing highway congestion or emissions.

Most important facts

- Fleet and seat expansion: Edison said the state has 10 hydrogen fuel‑cell trainsets on order and options for 19 more; “Each of those train sets has over 200 seats on it,” he said. Deliveries of the state’s hydrogen trainsets are expected to begin at the end of 2027. He also described plans to lease legacy Caltrain equipment and to redeploy existing state fleet resources to Southern California for near‑term capacity gains.

- Service frequency and operational limits: Edison noted contractual and operational slot limits on freight‑owned track: the corridor is currently running up to 13 trains on the Los Angeles–San Diego segment but can run as many as 16; on the Los Angeles–Santa Barbara section there are up to seven slots and current service uses five. The state is negotiating with freight operators and regional partners to raise frequencies where possible.

- Maintenance and reliability work: Edison said the state will begin a comprehensive revitalization of 88 state‑owned bilevel passenger cars and overhaul locomotives to improve availability and reliability ahead of the Games.

- Event coordination and legacy planning: Paul Krekorian, executive director of the City of Los Angeles Office of Major Events, told the panel the Games present both an operational challenge and an opportunity to create long‑term travel habits. He said the 2028 Games will substantially expand travel demand and called for coordinated planning across agencies.

What officials asked for

Speakers emphasized the need for funding focused on service — not just infrastructure — including a substantially enlarged supplemental bus fleet and operational subsidies to run surge services during major events. Krekorian said some needs can be met now but that “the thing that keeps me most awake at night is the concern about whether or not we will have sufficient federal support and state support for the supplemental transportation needs.”

Quotes from the hearing

- Chad Edison, California State Transportation Agency: “We are looking at leasing legacy equipment from Caltrain and redeploying some of that fleet.”
- Chad Edison on new trainsets: “Each of those train sets has over 200 seats on it and they can be operated in double train set or single train set configuration.”
- Paul Krekorian, Office of Major Events: “This will be the largest Olympic games in the history of the Olympics movement.”

Context and next steps

Panelists said some equipment and frequency gains can be achieved prior to 2028, but many improvements require additional funding and coordination among the state, freight rail owners and regional operators. Edison and partners said more detailed cost estimates for supplemental service (for buses and surge trains) are in development and that the subcommittee and Legislature will be briefed when those numbers are complete.

Ending

Officials framed the seat and fleet expansion as a time‑limited opportunity tied to the upcoming mega‑events and as part of a longer‑term push to improve reliability and emissions performance across the corridor. Senators and agency staff said they expect further budget and operational proposals soon.","California transportation officials told a legislative subcommittee they plan to add about 40% more seats on state-supported intercity trains by 2028 through new 0‑emission trainsets, leased legacy equipment and fleet overhauls, while urging clearer funding for supplemental service during major events.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Engineers warn coastal landslides, liquefaction and fault crossings threaten Losan corridor reliability

Analysts warn state funding gap and governance limits could constrain rail upgrades; LAO, transit groups urge clearer revenue plan

State officials outline plan to add seats and surge service on Losan rail corridor ahead of 2028 Games