Paul’s Slide Update, noon, 5/22/17

*A news release is attached (and shown at bottom of email) on the third and fourth convoys—scheduled for Tuesday and Thursday of this week.*

HIGHWAY 1 UPDATE – MONDAY, MAY 22 AT NOONTIME– PAUL’S SLIDE FUTURE ACCESS DEPENDENT ON SAFETY.

PAUL’S SLIDE ROADWORK HAS CEASED DUE TO SLIDE ACTIVITY WHICH HAS INCREASED. THE ROADWAY WILL BE ASSESSED AT EACH SCHEDULED ACCESS TIME (SHOWN BELOW), BUT IF ROADWAY IS DEEMED UNSAFE, SUCH AS MATERIAL COMING DOWN, LOW VISIBILITY DUE TO EXCESSIVE FOG OR SLIDE IS BEING ACTIVE, LOCALS/DELIVERIES WILL NOT BE ALLOWED THROUGH. FOR EXAMPLE, FOR TODAY’S EVENING ACCESS, LOCAL RESIDENTS CAN LINE UP, BUT IF MATERIAL IS COMING ONTO THE ROADWAY OR PAUL’S SLIDE IS ACTIVE, LOCALS WILL NOT BE GRANTED ACCESS.
MONTEREY COUNTY – Caltrans will continue the process of delivering construction equipment and materials to the site of the demolished Pfeiffer Canyon Bridge on State Route 1 via Nacimiento-Fergusson Road from US Highway 101 on Tuesday, May 23 and Thursday, May 25.

These convoys will be escorted by the California Highway Patrol (CHP) and will include intermittent closures of Nacimiento-Fergusson Road on Tuesday, May 23 from 7:30 am to 3 pm and on Thursday, May 25 from 8 am until 7 pm. Motorists wishing to travel east/west in the morning must do so before the first convoy begins. On Thursday, motorists will encounter delays during the movement of these four convoys westbound from 8 am to 10 am and 2 pm to 4 pm and eastbound from 11 am to 1 pm and from 5 pm to 7 pm. All vehicles must not exceed 30 feet in length and a weight of 15 tons.

The Tuesday convoys will include asphalt and other materials in 10 trucks while the Thursday convoys will include the remaining 50% of the rock and sand necessary to create concrete abutments for the new bridge. Future convoys will transport two mobile batch plants, two concrete boom pump trucks, vacuum trucks and rebar cages. This equipment will be used to construct concrete abutments and overall construction of the new Pfeiffer Canyon Bridge (PM 45.52).

EDITORIAL CONTENT: SO, LOCALS CANNOT GET THROUGH, BUT BIG TRUCKS CAN? AND IS ANYONE LOOKING AT WHAT ALL THESE TRUCKS AND LOADS ARE DOING TO THE 15 TON WEIGHT LIMIT BRIDGE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE GRADE FROM NACIMIENTO? YOU CAN BET THAT THESE CONTRACTORS ARE NOT STICKING TO THE WEIGHT LIMITS IN A RUSH TO GET MATERIAL TO THE BRIDGE. AND IF THAT BRIDGE GIVES OUT WITH THE UNSTABILITY OF PAUL’S SLIDE AND THE MASSIVE HEMORRAGE OF ROCKS AND DIRT AT MUD CREEK, WHAT HAPPENS IF THAT BRIDGE GIVES OUT TO THOSE OF US CAUGHT SOUTH OF PAUL’S SLIDE?? YOU CAN BET I AM WRITING COUNTY ROADS AND MARY ADAMS THIS AFTERNOON

11 thoughts on “Paul’s Slide Update, noon, 5/22/17”

  1. If something happens to that bridge then everyone south of Pauls slide is in the same situation everyone north of Pauls Slide is in. I see what you are saying for the long term, but right now everyone south of Pauls Slide is in a much better situation than us stuck on the North of it, being that you are able to still make plans and follow through with them without someone locking a gate and telling you cant leave your “Gated Community”

  2. Yes, I understand, Jon, and I rewrote it to reflect that, but my concern is that if that bridge gives out, we are all in the same boat, but those of you north have a path and a finite date. We do not.

    bigsurkate

  3. I know, I get it. I am just frustrated with the current situation. Although we do have a path it does not help me much when I have to get dog food, cat food, food for myself, gasoline and diesel for the property among all of the other supplies needed. I can only hope they can finish Pauls Slide safely. The good thing about the bridge on Naci is that it is very short and could easily be remedied with a Bailey Bridge although the way things move around here, that could even take months to get in place.

  4. I know, Jon. We are all frustrated now, or at least I know I am. The fact that galls me is very much like what bothers you. Locals can’t go through, even on their already limited access, but the big trucks can? That soil nail wall is giving way, and it ain’t from cars, pick-ups, and SUVs. It is from the heavy trucks.

    bigsurkate

  5. Yep, I will sit there and wait for them to open the gate for the convoy and drive through. I am very disappointed in their lack of consideration for the people who live here and have to travel this road in order to survive. Just as with everything that has been happening with all of the different decisions that have been made, they are being made not with the residents in mind but rather the big dollar sign.

  6. Jon,
    I share your distress. There needs to be more human consideration and more common sense in taking care of the few remaining resources we have left. (such as the one remaining access road, in or out). It is indeed painful.

  7. Thank you for saying what the locals here on the South Coast have been thinking. Nacimiento wasn’t meant for the amount of traffic it’s been taking on. Several years ago when the highway was closed and people were using Nacimiento I almost got hit by a big delivery truck that was going faster then they should around a blind turn. Others have experienced the same thing. Please slow down everyone.

  8. Amen to that!
    Our lives, homes, and survival are at the whims of an official “chain of command” which nobody seems to be able to identify and unravel. Decisions are being made somewhere, without any thought that citizens actually live here in a community. Each day is like “smoke and mirrors”. I try to perform my work, do my job the best I can, not knowing what abrupt change will hit at any second. Many times, I have made a plan that was to become useless and futile. I honor the workers who are doing their jobs repairing and maintaining what roads we have left. But somewhere, up in some unknown place of Franz Kafka surrealism, official decisions are being made and executed with little or no advance warning. The orders are often conflicting each other and subject to instantaneous change. Is this the way to rule our region?

  9. Jon and David.

    I agree. You both have my support. The road closures create expensive and frustrating problems each day. The highway is closed 23/24 hours a day at Paul’s slide if the slide conditions are “assessed” perfect and the road is clear. If the road is “assessed” as unsafe then our highway is closed 24/24 hours a day in ALL directions. It is a challenge to make my life fit between the first 30 minute window of 5:30 am – 6:00 am in the morning and then again between 7:00 pm and 7:30 pm. As you both know, the gates do not always open on time either. Frustrating times, indeed. 🙁

    I proudly praise Big Sur Kate here again for providing such an accurate and informative online home for Big Sur residents to unite and discuss these issues. Well done Kate, as always. 🙂

    Mike

  10. I asked this on another thread, but has anyone been bounced at Pauls since the Monday closure or are they honoring the pass-through times so far?

    BTW, who wants to wager whether they will try to leave those effing gates in place when this is done?

  11. Despite the CT announcement canceling Monday noon, locals say they have been able to get through during the scheduled times.

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