Month: May 2018

Amgen Tour is 5/15/18

Because they can’t ride the coast (I am guessing) they will be taking on our neighbors in Carmel Valley and Cachagua. *Sigh* At least they are fast, unlike the Marathon that closes Highway One for at least 1/2 a day or the Concours which ties up Peninsula traffic for a week.

Cachagua Fire reminds you about the upcoming Amgen Tour of California bicycle race that will be closing down much of the Fire District on May 15th from approximately 1:00 – 2:30 pm. The cyclists will be traveling along Carmel Valley Road from Greenfield to Tassajara Road to Cachagua Road and continue on from there to Laguna Seca. There will be over 100 racers with team cars, medical personnel, ambulances, and California Highway Patrol escorts. We are told that the CHP will stop all traffic while the racers are passing through. You will be required to park in a driveway or pull out and your keys must be put on the roof of the vehicle until the CHP gives the okay to move. https://www.amgentourofcalifornia.com/2018-stage-3-mens

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From the Tour Marshall, 2017-2018 via FB:
Yes, AmGen is a business in research of pharmaceutical development; but that is only one aspect of their business. The parent company owns many interests; one being the Tour of California. Three years ago, they hired A.S.O (Amaury Sport Organization), a European based company who promotes and operates all the major UCI pro races in Europe, including the Tour de France, to take over the reigns of the Tour of California. This is why the ToC is now a fully legit UCI Grand Tour. Eric Smith, A.S.O.’s US Technical Director (head honcho for ToC who makes final decisions on which cities are chosen as “host cities”, which routes are chosen, and who are hired to work on the ToC race. He is also my boss.

Wile it’s true, the ToC operates on a “rolling” traffic blockage (which means the freeways, roads, service streets and intersections are blocked (all vehicles are cleared from the road under blockage), and that section remains closed until the race (peloton, teams cars, race officials, medical, media, CHP and other vehicles that are part of the traveling entourage) passes by and the CHP reopens that (rolling) section. Along with the CHP, seven teams (each of 5-6 staff workers) of traveling Coursre Marshals, work with the CHP in ensuring these rolling road closures are done and maintained (ahain, until the CHP clears the road). Thete are about 70 vehicles which comprises the supporting entourage for the Pro Racers.

As for the “keys on top of the car roofs”. Pure non-sense! Will never happen. What could likely happen is, in tbe coming years, the Tour of California is enlarged to a full 21 days of Pro racing.
Enjoy the day, anf tbe Tour of California.
Greg Lozaga
AmGen ToC Traveling Course Marshal (2017- 18),
AToC Podium/Stage Security (2010-2016),
USA Cycling Race Official,
Founder/Owner “Fierce Cycling Adventures”,
Creator/Distributor “Cycle the West” road calendar.

Photo Sunday – Grey Slip, 2002, 5/6/18

Copyright (C) 2002-2018 Kenneth & Gabrielle Adelman, California Coastal Records Project, www.Californiacoastline.org Used with permission.

Thanks to Barbara for finding this for me.

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Plant Thieves in the neighborhood, 5/5/18

Jade Davis has reported this to the MCSO She saw them loading the plants, Dudley’s, into the back of their car from their backpacks (they had been down on the coastal cliffs), roots and all, into the back of their vehicle where they had potting soil. She confronted them, and they admitted they knew it was  illegal and then took off headed south. If you see them, report them. They had 3 big heavy bags each. MCSO said they would notify local deputy as well as F&G. There is a black market in China for our coastal plants, and a  ring in Marin Co was recently broken up and arrested and thousands of plants recovered.

Recent article from Marin County:

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Marin Article

Pat Freeling, a state wildlife officer, replants Dudleya farinosa in Mendocino County. The plants can fetch up to $50 each in Asia.Pat Freeling, a state wildlife officer, replants Dudleya farinosa in Mendocino County. The plants can fetch up to $50 each in Asia.Travis VanZant — California Department of Fish and Wildlife via AP

SAN JOSE >> State wildlife officials say they have uncovered an international scheme in which thieves from Korea and China slip into wild landscapes in Northern California to pluck succulents to sell on the thriving black market in Asia.

Mud Creek Contract and other oddities, 5/5/18

Yesterday, I finally had the time to go through the Mud Creek contract first awarded to Madonna Construction on 1/19/17.  I’ve pulled out a few bits of information, took some screen shots, sent off emails to Cal Trans for comments, and otherwise started research and analysis. There is still much to discover and understand, but given that no one at Cal Trans has thus far responded, I decided to publish what I have today.

The original contract provided for removing slide material, installing rock nets, and restoring facilities to enable reopening the highway. This contract was awarded 1/19/17 and signed 3/17/17. It was for 30 days at a cost of $2,500,000. It is a public works contract specifically excluded from 2 CCR § 547.59. (California Code of Regulations.) It is exempt from public bidding as explained in the State Contracts Manual (SCM) §5.80 (A)(3) which states: “As noted in section 5.05, competitive bidding is required unless there is a legally authorized basis for bid exemption. Key exemption categories are identified below. A. Statutory Exemptions: 3. Emergency contracts. The work or service is for the immediate preservation of the public health, welfare, safety, or protection of State property (PCC §§ 1102, 10340).”

On 4/6/17, the original contract was modified to increase the contract from $2,500,000 to $9,500,000 an increase of 3 and 1/2 times the original amount and added 80 days for completion, for a total of 110 days. After the BIG slide on 5/19/17, The Contract was again modified two months later on 7/18/17 to $12,000,000 and another 60 days was added to the contract for a total of 170 days. Two more modifications, one on 9/20/17 for an additional amount of $32,000,000 and an addition of 150 WORKING days (30 weeks) for a total of 320 days, and another on 9/18/17 of total amount of $56,000,000 (previously awarded, PLUS the requested additional $32,000,000) would then take the contract to the end of April 2018.

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By my calculations, the time and the $56,000,000 award ran out on 4/18/18 although the first page reproduced above says “end of April” so the contract has been renewed or is in the process of being renewed. I asked for the extension on this contract, but have yet to receive it. I will discuss it when received and will follow-up on that next week.

Besides the contract itself, I also inquired about the excavation going on at Grey Slip, a few miles south of Mud Creek, to obtain fill material. Grey Slip is another area of prior road issues.  I asked Cal Trans to comment on this yesterday, but so far have not received any response. One local was told that they had originally started excavation on the west side, but after some movement, moved to the east. I have not been able to confirm this, as Cal Trans did not respond to my questions. I looked through some of my photographs to see if I could find an older one to show any prior issues at this point, but haven’t been able to locate one. Rock Knocker put all his old photos in a storage unit in Paso/Templeton, so no help there. If anyone else has a photo of Grey Slip in prior years, I would love to see it.

This is what is happening at Grey Slip currently:

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Follow-up on Hurricane Point to Rocky Creek widening project

From Cal Trans Engineer, the same one in charge of the viaduct a couple years ago:

Hi Kate,

I’m working on a project on Highway 1 between Hurricane Point and Rocky Creek (about 1.5 miles in length).  It’s main purpose is to improve safety by widening the lanes and shoulders to 12’ and 4’ respectively.  A hearing for the Coastal Development Permit is scheduled for Thursday, May 10, 2018at the County Administration Center Board of Supervisors Chambers, 575 Administration Dr., Santa Rosa, CA 95403.  The meeting agenda and the Coastal Commission’s “Staff Report” can be found at the following site:

https://coastal.ca.gov/meetings/agenda/#/2018/5

Information about the environmental impacts can be found at the following Caltrans site:

http://dot.ca.gov/dist05/projects/hurricane_point.pdf

I was wondering if you could help me get the word out and emphasize that now is the time to comment or ask questions on the project or permit.  Below is a photo of the notice that was recently posted at the proposed project site.  It has some additional contact information:

If the permit is approved I estimate construction would start around March of 2019.  Thank you!

 

Ken

Climbing Lane Community Meeting

HIGHWAY 1 CLIMBING LANE PROJECT COMMUNITY MEETING MAY 8th  

 

If you have been impacted by the Highway 1 Climbing Lane Project and want to know more about what to expect during the next four months of construction, please plan to attend a community meeting on Tuesday, May 8th from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at Carmel River Elementary School, located at Monte Verde Street and 15th Avenue in Carmel.

 

Hosted by 5th District Supervisor Mary Adams, this community meeting will provide an overview of the project, an explanation of the various stages of construction, a project timeline and information on how to stay informed about traffic impacts during construction.

 

Supervisor Mary Adam’s Office and staff from the Monterey County Resource Management Agency – Public Works will be on hand to hear your comments and concerns.

 

For more information or to sign up for project updates, please contact Christine Poe atPoeC@co.monterey.ca.us or (831)755-5025, or Grant Leonard at grant@tamcmonterey.org or 831-775-4402.

 

Tourist Tuesday, 5/1/18

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Venice poised to segregate tourists as city braces itself for May Day ‘invasion’

Metal barriers aimed at separating visitors and locals on key routes into Venice are expected to be put to use on 1 May despite protests by locals against the controversial measure

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”I am standing on Venice’s Bridge of Sighs on a Sunday morning … or at least trying to: a tsunami of tourists is flooding towards the Piazza San Marco (St Mark’s Square): people wielding umbrellas or gripping plastic pints of Aperol Spritz, bossy tour guides shepherding cruise-ship passengers, backpacking millennials and many others. So far, so typical, except this weekend – a four-day bank holiday that began on Saturday 28 April and runs to Tuesday 1 May – the city, already straining under the weight of mass tourism, is anticipating record visitor numbers.”
…
“There needs to be a long-term, organised programme to inform tourists how to behave before they arrive and that should be the responsibility of hoteliers, airlines, cruise ship operators and travel agents. People need to understand and respect the little things that are so important in Venice’s daily life: keeping to the right when crossing bridges, not stopping on the raised walkways to take pictures during Acqua Alta, not littering and not sitting down for lunch on someone’s doorway.”
For the rest of the Article, see: