Damage to Nacimiento Rd.

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• When referring to road conditions, damages, etc. it would be helpful to indicate the specific location, expressed in mileage or a description of the specific location. This picture could have been on any country road in the Monterey County.

  • Robert, I know exactly where this is, as I drive that road often. I don't have the mileage, but it is just above Lion's Creek, you can see the continuation of the road in the back ground. It can't be on any road in Monterey County, as it is clearly a narrow, winding mountain road in the redwoods. How many of those are there in MoCo?

    bigsurkate

• It looks to me like it's on the newly repaired one lane part that got "gunnited (?)" to keep the down hill side of the road from slipping even more. This looks like it's the inside of the road, closer to the uphill side against the mountain. I'm going that way tomorrow so will be able to see better. If you travel N-F you know this portion of the road. If you don't travel it, lucky you!!

• Ok,ok I get it, but what are they sub post to do? They have to fix Hwy 1 and that's the only way in, come on cut them some slack. No better yet go get a shovel and start helping, geez....

  • They are supposed to slow the hell down, drive responsibly, and not overload their trucks. That is easy to do. It is that behavior which is damaging the road. Do you use this road, John? Do you see what is happening? A shovel won't solve the problem. This section has already given out once before and been repaired, but it took a 3 week break with no traffic, as the highway was closed at that time to all, including locals, and NO large trucks. The next repair will take even longer. You want a 1-2 month (or more) repair with NO access from ANY direction for everyone and thing between the bridge and Mud Creek? I have no pony in this show. If this spot gives out, I can still get out over the top and down, but the rest of you? You will be totally and completely stranded, except for over the trail.

• Probably caused by soil compaction as the water that was in the soil there has finished flowing out and the pressure of heavy vehicles on that section compacts the drying soil. Like a wet sponge that gets stepped on, and left in the sun to dry... It shows you where the underground water was flowing during the rain.

• I don't live down there, but I think Kate has a point. Time is money, in particular after a natural disaster. Big money Subs are going to want to cut corners on the profit margin at every opportunity. I assume that Big Sur Kate as a community watch-dog...is reporting pro bono. There are people who would charge a hefty tariff to monitor the access and condition of this vital life-line to the residents living on the wrong side of the divide. Everyone wants the best and quickest repair possible. There are times when a rush to judgement as to the best way to proceed can cause more problems than solutions. This is probably one of those times. Love the County and State efforts to make the repairs...but they typically do not monitor themselves on the way to progress. Be good to Kate.

  • Thank you, Karl. Yes, all donated time and money on my part as my small part in supporting my community and giving back to it.

    bigsurkate

• Thank you for investigating and protecting us!

  Sent from my iPhone

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• Thanks for your efforts,Kate. I live in a small village called Inkpen in England. We hope to drive from SF to LA in November so I will be following your posts with great interest. Keep up the good work.
  Bill

  • Unfortunately, Bill, you will not be able to drive through in November. Mud Creek slide is not predicted to be open before the middle of 2018 at the earliest. There are still other great places to visit in Central California, but Highway One through the full 72 miles of Big Sur will still be closed in November. You can still visit parts, but will require backtracking back to Carmel to go over 68 to Highway 101.

• Thanks Kate. If Pfeiffer Canyon Bridge is open in September and Paul's Slide at the end of July,can I not drive to north of Plaskett and take the N-R to King City? I will have a 4WD and have driven extensively in USA and Canada including the Big Hill down into Bella Coola. I will keep up to date with your posts as I will have to arrange accommodation on my journey.
  Thanks again
  Bill

  • Yes, that is possible, assuming all goes as planned, but frankly, I don't have a lot of confidence in the predicted 7/31/17 opening date for Paul's Slide, given all the water still flowing there. Much more confidence in the bridge.

    bigsurkate

• Kate,

  "EDIBLE NOTABLES: AFTER THE STORM"

  By Kathryn McKenzie

  http://ediblemontereybay.com/online-magazine/summer-2017/edible-notables-8/

• Again, they are doing the best they can.they are not miracle workers. They cannot help that nacimiento road is basically a 'back road', not a freeway. What else can they do?

  • Herb, again, what else can they do? The contractors can slow the hell down, not bring the transfer trailers over, and to only carry the maximum load the bridge and road can carry. Granite appears to be doing that, so why can't Cal Portland? IT IS A BACKROAD, and not a freeway, but they are driving it like it is a freeway with no regard to its limits. That is not necessary for anything but for increasing their profits. There is PLENTY they can do, but they choose not to because it would cut into their profits. Yup, whenever it is money over safety, money always seems to win. That is what you support, Herb? I don't.

    bigsurkate