Cal Trans Update, 3/9/17

PHOTOS COURTESY OF STAN RUSSELL—BIG SUR CHAMBER–☺

Paul’s Slide:

I’ll check with Rock Knocker tomorrow, but this looks like a temporary “fix” only and the road looks like it will need a stop light for one lane only.

Lighthouse Flats. Also looks to be one lane only.

And our now world-famous bridge over Pfeiffer Gulch (Canyon)

SR-1 FULL CLOSURE CONTINUES–RAGGED PT (SLO PM 72.87) TO JUST SOUTH OF PALO COLORADO (PM 61.5) WITH OPPORTUNITY FOR LOCALS AND RESUPPLY/DELIVERIES ON FRIDAY, MARCH 10 AT 10 AM**.

Paul’s Slide for locals: from Saturday, March 4 through Thursday, March 9 (shotcrete operation will take place all Thursday), there will be no access for Caltrans or locals from 7 AM to 7 PM. Locals MAY travel through this area from 7 PM until 7 AM with the assistance of a flagger conducting one-way reversing traffic control.

**Deliveries to Big Sur can be made tomorrow, Friday, March 10. The stabilized roadway at Paul’s Slide (PM 21.6) is limited to vehicles weighing 35,000 lbs.; this can accommodate a truck with 3,000 gallons of propane. The maximum vehicle length is 30 feet. The delivery vehicles will meet at Ragged Point at 10 am and be escorted north by a Caltrans vehicle. There will be a flagger at Ragged Point checking I.D.’s for locals and allowing delivery vehicles through. The next opportunity for deliveries will be on Monday, March 13, Wednesday, March 15 and Friday, March 17 at 10 am each day. Delivery vehicles can head south unescorted once deliveries are made as there should be minimal northbound traffic.

Starting tomorrow, Friday, March 10, between delivery dates and on weekends, locals only will have 24/7 access from Ragged Pt. to the Big Sur Post Office with local I.D. until further notice.

The school bus will be allowed to cross Paul’s Slide starting March 10 and continue crossing until further notice.

*IMPORTANT NOTE – CALTRANS PFEIFFER CYN. BRIDGE (PM 45.5) UPDATE:
· DUE TO EXTREME SAFETY CONCERNS AND THE BRIDGE’S DYNAMIC INSTABILITY, EVERYONE needs to STAY CLEAR and not get within 100 feet of either side of the bridge. This closure will be enforced.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Any remaining vehicles in the large turn-out just north of Pfeiffer Canyon Bridge have been towed to the large “secure” parking lot at the MAF as of TUESDAY, MARCH 7.

· Drilling continues and Caltrans geotechnical and bridge experts from around the state are working as quickly as possible toward the bridge replacement. Drilling investigation findings are targeted for Friday, March 17.

· On the maintenance side, Caltrans is continuing to make progress with the slides to regain as much access from the south as possible. We are also working to keep the roadway passable from the north to just north of the Pfeiffer Canyon Bridge—for locals only. Hwy. 1 is scheduled to open to the public from Carmel and north, to the Multi-Agency Facility (MAF, PM 46.35) next Wednesday, March 15 as of 9 am.

*BUSINESSES REMAIN OPEN*

Locals may travel in a truck, SUV or van 24/7 as of tomorrow, Friday, March 10:
1) between Ragged. Pt. and Big Sur Post Office (PM 45.23) and
2) between just north of Pfeiffer Cyn Bridge and Carmel.

Another update regarding the Highway 1 Big Sur Coast will be provided around mid-day on Friday, March 10 or sooner if conditions change.

NOTE: For information on emergency services only (not Caltrans road inquiries) for the Big Sur Coast, you may contact Gerry Malais, Mon. Co. OES via email at: malaisg@co.monterey.ca.us or Maia Carroll, Mon. Co. OES PIO at carrollm@co.monterey.ca.us or via phone at (831) 796-3092.

Susana Z. Cruz
Caltrans District 5
Acting Manager
Public Information Officer