THIS AFTERNOON’S BRIDGE INSPECTION SHOWED EVEN MORE MOVEMENT AND GROWTH IN FRACTURES, FOR THE SAKE OF LOCALS, VEHICLE/PEDESTRIAN ACCESS WILL BE ALLOWED THROUGH ONE LAST TIME, FROM 2PM TO 5PM. THIS WILL BE THE LAST TIME PEDESTRIANS, VEHICLES AND EMERGENCY SERVICES WILL BE ALLOWED ACROSS BRIDGE UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE. THE NEXT BRIDGE ASSESSMENT WILL BE MADE AFTER THE RAIN, ON TUESDAY, FEB. 21.

VEHICLES MAY BE ALLOWED TO CROSS PFEIFFER CYN BRIDGE, ONE VEHICLE AT A TIME, ESCORTED BY CHP, FROM EITHER DIRECTION FOR THE LAST SESSION: 2 PM TO 5 PM. THERE IS A 20-TON LIMIT. PEDESTRIAN AND EMERGENCY SERVICES ACCESS ALSO CEASES AT 5 PM. NOTE: THESE PROVISIONS ARE FOR CRITICAL AND NECESSARY TRIPS, ON THIS DAY ONLY.

*NEW IMPORTANT INFORMATION—MORNING ACCESS ALLOWED, AFTERNOON ACCESS PENDING BRIDGE INSPECTION AT 12 PM *

THIS MORNING’S BRIDGE INSPECTION SHOWED MOVEMENT AND GROWTH IN FRACTURES, BUT VEHICLE/PEDESTRIAN ACCESS WILL BE ALLOWED THIS MORNING. HOWEVER, ANOTHER BRIDGE INSPECTION WILL TAKE PLACE AT 12 NOON—THE AFTERNOON SESSION (2-5PM) WILL DEPEND ON THE FINDINGS…ANOTHER UPDATE WILL BE PROVIDED BY 1 PM TODAY.

VEHICLES MAY BE ALLOWED TO CROSS PFEIFFER CYN BRIDGE, ONE VEHICLE AT A TIME, ESCORTED BY CHP, FROM EITHER DIRECTION FOR TWO SESSIONS: 1) 10 AM TO 1 PM AND 2) 2 PM TO 5 PM. THERE IS A 20 TON LIMIT. PEDESTRIAN ACCESS WILL ALSO CONTINUE. THIS IS SOLELY DEPENDENT UPON THE RESULTS OF THE BRIDGE SURVEY/ASSESSMENT TO TAKE PLACE AT 9 AM ON WEDNESDAY, FEB. 15…EXPECT THE ‘GO AHEAD’ OR ‘CEASE OPERATIONS’ UPDATE AT 9:30 AM TOMORROW.* NOTE: THESE PROVISIONS ARE FOR CRITICAL AND NECESSARY TRIPS, ON THIS DAY ONLY.

State Route 1 continues to be closed between Ragged Pt. (SLO 72.87)
and Pfeiffer Cyn Bridge(PM 45.5).

Motorists may travel north on State Route 1 from Cambria to Ragged
Point (SLO PM 72.87) or south from Carmel to Pfeiffer Cyn. Bridge (PM
45.5)

The roadway is not passable between Ragged Pt (SLO 72.87) and Dolan
Pt (PM 29.70) or to vehicles at Pfeiffer Cyn. Bridge (PM 45.5)

*AN ADDITIONAL SLIDE OCCURRED THIS MORNING SOUTH OF LIMEKILN (PM 20)…LOCALS MAY TRAVEL BETWEEN RAGGED PT. AND NACIMIENTO FERGUSSON (PM 18.90)—WHICH WILL CLOSE AT 5 PM.

*IMPORTANT NOTE TO LOCALS: ANOTHER STORM IS ANTICIPATED THIS THURSDAY, FEB. 16. DUE TO SAFETY PRECAUTIONS, PFEIFFER CANYON BRIDGE WILL FULLY CLOSE, INCLUDING TO PEDESTRIAN ACCESS, FOR THE DURATION OF THE RAIN.

*BUSINESSES REMAIN OPEN*

Another update will be provided AT 1 PM TODAY, Wednesday, February 15.

Susana Z. Cruz nature-flower-blue-motif[1]
Caltrans District 5
Acting Manager
Public Information Office

Frankly, I don’t know who Paul H. Is, but he has been adding comments re the weather patterns and studying them, and I have come to believe he is either an amateur meterologist and/or a retired one. His predictions so far this winter have been incredibly accurate. This is his newest “take” on the situation we are all following so I share his latest with the rest of you from the comment section today:

“Hey Everyone and just another heads up that late today will be the beginning of a possible three week run of wet weather and the storm intensity could really ramp up toward the end of February. What looks to be happening is the active belt of thunderstorms along the equatorial or inter tropical convergance zone (MJO oscillation) is now propagating eastward from the west pacific/maratime area and around late Feb/early March will be acting up right below Hawaii where these atmospheric river storms have found a very comfortable path during this winter This will fuel the moisture feed even deeper into the tropics with very high pwats or rain rates. Moreover El Nino is now forming quickly and should anchor the jet stream in a south west trajectory supportive of a positive “Pacific North America Pattern”. Presently, it looks very similar to 1995 (big floods in March that year) teleconnection and ocean atmospheric coupling wise and i would not be at all surprised to see much wetter storms toward the end of month similar to the January storms earlier in the year. This Winter could get much crazier very soon and do not put your guard down after this next week of rain!! Nevertheless, “Major” landslide(s) similar to the 1983 humongous slide is definately a possibility soon as soils have reached super saturation!! Im hoping that nothing that big slides!!
Cheers to El Nino taking control now, paul h”

These were taken by Michael Wilson back after the closure at 3.3 mm in two areas, one back around 4.8 mm and another one back further.