I am getting a LOT of inquiries about this road with the closure between Gorda and Ragged Point of Highway One. N-F is NOT open to the public at this time, and looks like it will be not be until Dec. of 2023. Here is the information I received from Mary Adams’s office:
“We recently made an inquiry with USFS about the status and received this information from Bradley King, Forest Engineer:
Federal Highways sent their surveyors and project engineers out to Nac-Ferg Rd to conduct preliminary assessments and collect additional detailed survey information on the damages. Currently, the estimated project schedule they have provided us is as follows:
Dec 2021: Project Start (funding dependent, begin design/planning work)
Aug 2022: 70% Design complete / Environmental Compliance complete
Nov 2022: 95% Design complete
Jan 2023: Final Design complete / prepare final contract documents
Mar 2023: Contract Award
May 2023: Construction Start (Notice to Proceed)
Nov 2023: Construction Complete
This schedule is dependent on funding.”
Not familiar with this road, but heartfelt wishes for those impacted by its closure. I hate that Highway 1, one of the most beautiful drives in the world, has so many weather related problems. Good wishes sent for a speedy remedy.
With infrastructure bills bouncing around the political circus arena, perhaps one day such repair and construction projects will automatically be considered essential, actionable and important. Can we not expect better in the (dis-United) USA!.
Over a year without the only helpful “feeder” road on such a substantial part of Highway 1 is not pleasing.
Wow. That’s quite a long timeline. It was always nice knowing that backdoor was there. Kind of gives one pause knowing it will be closed for so long.
An entire year & 1/4 for just the design?? Then another 5 months for the construction to even start?? Looks like some of these timelines need to get compressed.
The project will probably become even more extensive the longer they ignore all the clogged culverts, mud and rock that’s already on the road. Their original plans may not even be usable by the time they get to start construction.
The folks living up there that have to use that road to get to work & town are paying dearly for the lack of attention to any cleanup that needs to be done NOW!
Time to call Congressman Jimmy Panetta to get MoCoRoads out there to clear up what’s accumulated so far.
Minor edit suggested:
s/closure between Gorda and Ragged Point of Highway One/closure if Nacimiento-Fergusson Road/
That’s a long time! I wonder if it could be speeded up if Highway one ends up closing on the north and the south like it did in 98 or 97. Because Big Sur residents would really be trapped if that happens again and NF is closed !!!
Thanks for this update. Sorry to hear about the closure. This info on the timeline is much appreciated as I’m in the process of planning a multi-day camping trip.
Nacimiento will be closed until December 2023 due to severe road damage.