Month: April 2018

MoCo sends PR, but no solutions, on Rio Rd Construction, 4/10/18

MONTEREY COUNTY

April 10, 2018
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

STATE ROUTE 1 CLIMBING LANE AT RIO ROAD

CARMEL, CA–The Monterey County Resource Management Agency (RMA) is managing the construction of the Highway 1 Climbing Lane Project, under permit from Caltrans. The County is aware of the current traffic delays and is working closely with Caltrans and the contractor to improve the situation. The construction activities will continue to affect traffic flow for the duration of the project, however the County in coordination with Caltrans is actively working on minimizing traffic delays.

Construction work hours are normally from 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. with occasional overnight roadwork between 9:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m. The project is five months in duration and is slated to be complete at the end of August.

The State Route 1 Climbing Lane Project consists of widening State Route 1 (SR-1) on the eastside, to provide a second northbound lane and installation of new signal poles at the SR-1/Rio Road and SR-1/Carmel Valley Road intersections. Recent activities involve placing temporary concrete barriers along the project site. This will remain in place until after the final paving is complete on SR-1. All interim traffic measures are necessary to maximize public safety, while facilitating traffic flows as best possible, while construction crews work behind the barriers.

Thank you for your patience. Additional information can be found at:

http://www.co.monterey.ca.us/government/departments-i-z/resource-management-agency-rma-/public-works-facilities/current-major-projects/highway-1-climbing-lane

http://www.tamcmonterey.org/cone-zone-report-7/

http://dot.ca.gov/dist05/paffairs/monterey/conezone_report.pdf

For more information, please contact Christine Poe, Management Analyst II at PoeC@co.monterey.ca.us or at (831)755-5025.

Tourist Tuesdays, 4/10/18

Noon, from a Highlands Neighbor:

”I called Christine Poe around 9:30 and was transferred to her after a short wait. She was very understanding of the frustration we are all experiencing in getting through the Rio Road/Hwy. 1 intersection. I mainly spoke with her regarding the safety issues of having that intersection blocked if there an emergency, the possible impatience of a driver deciding to pass other vehicles, and the lack of well timed traffic lights. She did tell me that engineers were scheduled to be at the site today to discuss the traffic situation and she would add my safety concerns to their discussion. She also suggested having Highway Patrol there to control traffic in person might alleviate the problem. Unfortunately, the CHP site notes that they do not have the man power to do so.”

6:30 am – With the road work at Rio Rd. to last through the summer, this will be the 3d summer in a row where local Big Sur businesses face challenges. Patience will be required, and weekend trips to town will be curtailed. Three big events are scheduled during this construction project: Big Sur Marathon, Sea Otter Classic, and Amgen. The Concours is scheduled for the end of August. Any bets on whether the construction will be finished in time?

I am taking this day off from Tourists and Tourism and enjoying the spring weather and planning for gardening projects. I need grounding and balance.

Nightmare at Rio Rd., 4/9/18

And this is the official response from Cal Trans:

”Thank you for your recent inquiry, notifying Caltrans about the traffic issues you experienced at Highway 1 and Rio Road. The construction is part of a climbing lane project that involves widening the east side of Highway 1. This project is led by Monterey County. Late last week, the project team needed to shift traffic to the west side of the highway in order to continue construction on the east side. The county and its construction contractor are working on making adjustments this week that will help alleviate some of the traffic concerns, especially to northbound Hwy. 1 traffic. Looking forward, the project is scheduled for completion in late summer.

For additional information please contact Christina Poe at the County of Monterey at Poec@co.monterey.ca.us.” (Christine Poe 831-755-5025.)

Added later, from another reader: “Sunday traffic hwy 1 @6pm from south end Yankee Pt…traffic going north was visable to Otter Cove and further beyond. Crawed to Rio Rd 1:40 one car at a time. No other cars at other three lights. NORTH BOUND NEEDS HELP!”

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Both Saturday and Sunday, I received reports & complaints re the problems with the construction at Rio Rd. People were bascially unable to get to town, if needed. Here are a few of the screen shots they sent me or posted. Also, I forwarded all these photos on to Cal Trans last night. While Cal Trans is not the project manager, only provides oversight,  it is a joint project for MoCo, TAMC, and Cal Trans, Cal Trans indicated they would forward on to the project manager. The first one is from Saturday, and the last two are from Sunday. Let’s keep documenting this. It is supposed to last through August.

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Flood advisory for SW MoCo, 4/7/2018

Not good news for Paul’s Slide and/or Mud Creek…

This is a notification from Alert Monterey County:
The National Weather Service in The San Francisco Bay Area has issued a Urban and Small Stream Flood Advisory for Southwestern Monterey County in central California…

* Until 1015 AM PDT

* At 912 AM PDT, Doppler radar indicated heavy rain that will cause
urban and small stream flooding in the advisory area.

* Some locations that will experience flooding include…
Lucia, Gorda, King City, Colman Canyon, San Ardo, San Lucas and
Fort Hunter Ligget Raws.

Misc. Info. – access, tourists, Cal-Trans & personal

First off, I want to thank a couple of readers who are taking initiative on their concerns, after sharing them with me. There is only so much I can do. One, encountered difficulties gaining access to a beach at Kirk Creek where they have been fishing for years, by walking through the campground. The campground hosts prevented them from doing so, creating such a scene that both parties contacted the MCSO. The party also contacted the USFS in King City. Looks like the beach and trail will remain open. USFS will be talking to Park Management re the issue, and I may or may not hear the results of that.

Another reader noted an old article on MCWeekly, which is still posted on line, pointing people to several “out-of-the-way” camping spots, including Bottcher’s Gap, which cannot be accessed since the Soberanes Fire and then the road damage up Palo Colorado Canyon. She wrote them asking them to take down that article and not increase our tourist issues down here. Hopefully, she will let me know what MCWeekly’s response is

I encourage you all to let me know of problems you encounter with our burgeoning tourist issue and what you do in your efforts to resolve them.

Second, I have obtained a copy of the contract between Cal Trans and Madonna Construction for the repair of Mud Creek and Paul’s Slide. I am happy to share them with any of you who are interested in receiving them. The contract itself is about 40 pages, and there are 3 amendments, each 2 pages long. They are complicated.  I have converted the pdfs to jpg. Comment below or send me an email if interested and I will forward them. I have not had time to review them, and may not for a while. Which brings me to my third item.

Rock Knocker’s sister had a brain aneurysm and had surgery at a hospital in SF yesterday. They are bringing her out of a medically induced coma today.  We were not able to go up today, as Rock Knocker was in San Luis getting his income taxes done. We are awaiting a call from his sister-in-law who is going this afternoon to see her, and will let us know what is happening. At that time we will make the decision about when to head up. Of course, neither of us is looking forward to traveling during an Atmospheric River into the eye of the storm, so will take some planning. I will try to provide reports, if I am able.

Friday’s Atmospheric River, 4/4/18

I am headed out to restock – I take every opportunity, particularly when I get word of another storm coming. But here is what is anticipated. Fortunately for the Central Coast, this is expected to impact the North Bay more than us, but it will all depend on where the Atmospheric River makes landfall, of course.

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Gilroy Brush Fire, Hecker Pass & Burchell

First fire of the season that *I* have reported on. Had to add a new category: 2018 Fire Season. Sigh…

Incident: 00232 Type: Provide Traffic Control Location: 2280 Sr152 Loc Desc: Hecker Pass Hwy Lat/Lon: 37.011838 -121.615660
Detail Information
3:52 PM 10 [30] B23-056 WITH FIRE AT 152/BURCHELL
3:44 PM 9 [28] [Notification] [CHP]-GPD ADVSD FIRE REQ CHP MOVE TO HECKER X BURCHELL
3:37 PM 8 [26] GPD REQ CHP AT WB 152 AT BURCHELL TO DIVERT TRAFFIC ONTO BURCHELL
3:31 PM 7 [24] 56B ON WB SIDE DOESNT SEE GPD UNITS // 2280 SR 152 IFO CIENEGA FLOWERS
2:54 PM 6 [1] TREE DOWN / LINES DOWN / ONE ACRE ON FIRE
2:47 PM 5 [14] [Appended, 14:58:26] [11] [Notification] [CHP]-PER ANOTHER CALLER/ FIRE 1097 JUST NOW
2:46 PM 4 [12] [Appended, 14:58:26] [9] GILROY FIRE AND CDF ENRT
2:46 PM 3 [11] [Appended, 14:58:26] [8] FIRE STARTED
2:42 PM 2 [5] [Appended, 14:58:26] [2] 1039 GFD
2:41 PM 1 [4] [Appended, 14:58:26] [1] FIRE STARTING

Tourist Tuesday, 4/3/18

I took  a closer look at thepresentation MCCVB made at the last BSMBAAC meeting. While I can see the need for a “Destination Master Plan”  for Monterey County, I think we need a separate and community oriented, implemented, and managed Sustainable Destination Stewardship Program/Plan for Big Sur. In discussions with Tammy Blount of MCCVB, she has agreed that a separate, “special” forum should be held for Big Sur. I look forward to working with Tammy and finding a common vocabulary which will strengthen our sense of community here in Big Sur – the crown jewel of Monterey County.

A “Master Plan” reminds me too much of dystopian novels like 1984, Brave New World, Handmaiden’s Tale, Soylent Green, etc. Personally, I think the Sustainable and Stewardship components of any plan are critical to how we approach the issue of sustainability of both the community and the environment of Big Sur as tourism continues to increase exponentially. The focus needs to shift from making money to sustaining the sense of place, in my opinion. Making money is only relevant if it is used to enhance the experience – not profit from it. I also see that Big Sur needs a bigger voice in any planning endeavor.  Big Sur needs to take the lead in any efforts to “market” her unique beauty, and if necessary, tell others she is not for sale. Several members of the board of CPOA are willing and delighted to work with us on creating an entity for such a purpose.

Naming, to me, helps to define, refine, and focus our goals so we don’t get distracted from the purpose we have for going forward, obtaining financing, other backing, and instituting meaningful change to save our community and place while we share it with visitors. Also, it will help establish the roles of all our various governmental and non-governmental agencies who claim a stakehold in Big Sur by helping them to fulfill their management plans and see the many ways each is compatible with the others. We need to get away from the singularity which defines each government agency and begin to see our Big Sur Coast as a holistic entity, entitled to the protection she needs and deserves.

Here is a quarterly event that MCCVB hosts that addresses this issue:

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The above is a screen shot, so the registration button is not “live.” Here is a link you can go to to register for the Sustainable Moments marketing forum: Sustainable Moments Quarterly Forum. I have signed up to attend, and will report back after the Forum. Marcus Foster has also indicated he is interested in attending. I would encourage all of you interested in the future of Big Sur and her tourism component to come to this forum to listen, learn, and contribute, if appropriate. Big Sur is the driving force behind tourism for the entire Monterey Peninsula. It is time we have a bigger voice that is heard.

Next week, I will seek out information on how to work with and organize all the diverse stakeholders present in Big Sur. Thanks to others in the community with whom I have had conversations, I am convinced that the MCCVB is NOT the appropriate entity to spear head an issue to preserve and protect Big Sur, and am looking at a whether a disinterested outside consultant might be the way to go, along with formulating a non-profit Big Sur entity capable of grant-writing, funding a consultant, fund-raising, organizing, and implementing a long-term plan that incorporates all the various interlocking pieces that comprise Big Sur and make her who she is. If you want to be a part of this process, please let me know how you see yourself contributing, either in the comments or via email to kwnovoa@mac.com

I had not intended to make this portion of my blog a full-time endeavor, but that is what it is becoming. Big Sur needs protecting and all of us must become proactive in this. All the individual concerns we have: bathrooms, traffic, degradation of the wilderness, camping, enforcement, tourists who drive Highway One (poorly), but don’t spend here, preserving our community, work-force housing, our history, protecting our environment and so much more are pieces of this much larger puzzle. Join us in becoming a part of the solution, instead of just bitching. Let’s save the love of our lives and our home, Mama Sur.

Highway One Closure Update, 4/2/18

Photos of Mud Creek (PM 8.9) from Friday, March 30 and Paul’s Slide (PM 21.6) from last Tuesday, March 27

HIGHWAY 1 UPDATE – Monday, April 2
State Route 1 in Monterey County remains closed from north of Salmon Creek, just south of the Ranger Station (PM 3) to just south of Gorda (PM 10) due to the Mud Creek slide. State Route 1 south of Salmon Creek is accessible via State Route 1 in San Luis Obispo County near Ragged Point.

REMINDER: Travelers still CANNOT access the entire length of Highway 1 from Carmel to Cambria but local businesses are open on both sides of Mud Creek.

Mud Creek (PM 8.9)
Mud Creek had a major slide on Saturday, May 20, 2017, losing over 5 million cubic yards of material. Caltrans continues with its plan to realign the existing terrain with the projected timeline to safely open to public traffic is late-summer 2018 at an estimated cost of $40 million.

This week: The same ongoing operations continue: building up the north fill, working on the 63 inch drainage system, working on the retaining wall and excavating material below the new alignment to finished grade.

There is currently no public/local access through the Mud Creek area since this remains an active, emergency construction zone.

Paul’s Slide (PM 21.6)
Paul’s Slide was cleaned up last week from debris and slide material. It is still active but the 24/7 traffic signal remains in place and temporary guardrail (k-rail) in the centerline.

Pfeiffer Canyon Bridge [PCB] (PM 45.52)
1.) Final work continues. Roadwork at Pfeiffer Canyon Bridge consists of alternating lane closures from 7 am to 4 pm Mondays through Thursdays and 7 am to 2 pm on Fridays until work is complete. Project is completed with only a few final items remaining including installing additional fence panels, installing flange protection devices. Project expected to fully complete by the end of April, weather permitting.

ADDITIONAL WORK—CALPORTLAND PAVING BETWEEN LUCIA (PM 23) AND JUST SOUTH OF PCB (45.52)
Final items continue taking place for the next two months. Metal Beam Guardrail (MBGR) end treatment work at Castro Canyon (PM 43.12) and slope work along project limits is scheduled to take place in early Spring, weather permitting.
Caltrans reminds motorists to move over and slow down when driving through highway work zones.

The next update will be on Monday, April 9 ☺
Susana Z. Cruz nature-flower-blue-motif[1]
Caltrans District 5
Public Information Officer