This place has become so very dangerous for locals and.tourists alike. What do we need to do? Have a toll booth to stop traffic, direct traffic, explain that this is a highway? Make people pay for the privilege of driving through here? Is it time to make this a toll road? It may be time to consider such an option due to overcrowding. It’s not getting any better. Remember, only a little over two weeks ago a tourist was killed here when trying to stop her rental car from rolling.
Incident: 00279 Type: Trfc Collision-1141 Enrt Location: Sr1 N / Jpb Loc Desc: SR1 JULIA PFIFFER BURNS Lat/Lon: 36.169444 -121.682778
Detail Information
4:14 PM 4 [10] 1039 MTY COM / NOT 97 YET
3:53 PM 3 [6] 22 CPZ WILL BE EXTENDED / IF STATE PARK REQ 1185 , START ONE
3:51 PM 2 [3] STATE PARKS 1097
3:51 PM 1 [2] MULTI CAR TC
Unit Information
3:59 PM 1 Unit Assigned
Any kind of a toll booth will cause the merchants to SCREAM! They didn’t even like the sign about not patrolling at night.
A misguided and sad part of this as many are blaming the traffic backups at Pfeiffer beach (turning hundreds away each week end), on HWY 1 and Pfeiffer Burns and general flow on short term rentals! There are only 50 or so along the 70+ miles of Big SUr Coast… add 50 cars a week end? maybe? I think the real reason is the multiple (3 recently) fancy magazines touting Big Sur as the place to come and large venues hosting weddings for the rich and famous with attendant media coverage… attracting many many people who want to see these locations. A toll road might be a good idea… should include bikes!
Also we’ve been over populated since the white man came…
(RE above comment Jim) Speaking as a white woman with the occasional white man around, I am not ashamed to be here. California has a habit of making all its natural wonders less and less passable to humans. There isn’t a thing wrong with people wanting to be in this stunning geography. Think of the immense efforts Teddy Roosevelt, John Muir et al went to so that every American citizen and visitor would have access to this glory ~~ they must be turning over in their graves at every shortened and closed roadway, stream and park. If Pfieffer Beach (idiotic parking) (like Julia PB) makes for traffic trouble we need more beach that people can get to easily and more parking, not less. Out of towners coming through my Big Sur gallery were shocked that there was such limited beach access on the central coast. If the state weren’t so badly run the residents wouldn’t be overtaxed and hectored on top of it for wanting to love our wild places, to have a look, breathe it in. It’s criminal that the state charges massive entry fees and is never held accountable for spending. People are hungry for beauty. It’s the authoritarian control that’s making you feel you don’t belong in your own country.
The speed-limit should be lowered approaching JPB in each direction.
Maybe 35 mph.
At the turn-off areas, the speed-limit should be lowered even more.
Maybe 20 mph.
Maybe some flashing lights and sign(s) for caution to visitors in daylight hours.
The locals would know how to handle this; it might save some lives.
I like the lowered speed limit but maybe message boards instead of flashing lights. Not sure it would help, Wally. Doesn’t matter how slow one is going, if someone steps into traffic, or opens their door into traffic suddenly there will still be accidents, But maybe not as serious.
bigsurkate
The Chinese lady appeared to be a fatal error in judgement, and I can’t find the latest fatality in the news. Driving past the area infrequently, it seems that the safest thing would be to prohibit all parking on Highway One, and use the increased monies for “pay to park” to expand parking within the campground leading to the under road walkway. I think people feel like nothing bad can happen to them while vacationing. Unfortunately, peoples disregard for their own safety usually results in more laws and restrictions.
Tolls are a good idea. The merchants will still make enough money. At what point do we trade profit for this coast. As far as beach access goes. This coast is rather a rocky coast. There are not a lot of beaches to access. If they want beaches, the Monterey / Carmel area have plenty of beautiful beaches.
Perhaps no parking signs and actual ticketing might help. If the parking lot is full, the damn park is full -period.
Cal Trans is doing a feasibility study for making 156 between Castroville and Prunedale a toll road. We have MUCH more traffic on Highway One.
bigsurkate
One of my young friends told me Memorial Day weekend on that Friday that there was an instagram feed post of a photo of JPBurns in Big Sur saying “This is where I am going this weekend” that went out to 3 million people..This was a clothing company called Free People.Brave new world…????New world anyway..Branham R
Be careful of the “toll road” idea. We’d all have to pay it and I for one do not want to pay a toll to drive this hwy. I feel like I already pay every time I drive it and have to put up with the poor drivers due to their either excruciatingly slow driving or the ones who like to pass on double yellows and risk my life along with their joy riding.
I’m sure there would be exceptions for people who lived and/or worked between the tool booth. Yearly passes could also be a possibility. I would be willing to pay a yearly fee if it cut down on just what you complain about, Lisa. Educational brochures could be part of the toll. 😉
bigsurkate
I don’t think it would make a difference. It certainly wouldn’t have an impact on how they drive!
If there were just fewer of them driving crazy, it would help!
bigsurkate