More photos of the Dani Creek slip out just north of the Hermitage, Paul’s Slide, and the slip out in front of Caltrans. All taken and sent to me throughout the day today. North to South Again:
Dani Creek:
Paul’s Slide
In front of Cal Trans
Big Sur: South Coast Version, More photos, 3/15/23
Kate did you get your Twitter problem sorted?
Not to be throwing mud yet..my view is this . CalTrans and they’re associated subcontractors are unskilled and unenthusiastic about getting more pro. Its about when is the day ending and when our next vacation. The old pros have hung up their shovels and are making chiropractors richer. Skill and good judgement take decades to grasp..meanwhile take a walk along hwy 1 sometime, & look over the details. You be the judge. Our DMV fees compared to Oregon & Washington are huge..yet both those states keep their roads, bridges, signage, lighting in top shape. This isn’t merely bout heavy rains, its about quality control, & skill level.
Not to be slinging mud? You just slung it and rolled in it and dirtied yourself up good.
I had the same thought as above. Why are so many sections of roads failing? It can’t just be rain. My fear is what other parts of the road are built poorly? How long will it take to (properly) rebuild them? This is devastating.
Thanks Kate, the photos are so helpful in grasping what’s going on.
Both lanes closed overnite slide 6 mi north of esalen. Slide. I’ll submit photos 🤪
The highway will be so changed and perhaps unrecognizable in some places when I visit next. (Tzila here, in Texas)
Highway 1 has taken a beating over the last several years. I don’t know if this has so much to do with Caltrans workers ethics or if it’s simply Mother Nature reclaiming what is hers. We all want Highway 1 to re-open, especially the back roads such as Willow Creek and Nacimento Ferguson, but safety is first and foremost. Oregon may simply not have the same elements or contingencies. We value our Caltrans workers and appreciate the work that they do so that we may enjoy the Big Sur Coast.
My statement didn’t fairly take in to account this. In order to become highly skilled we need highly skilled instruction. From the engineer, surveyor, explosive expert, heavy equip.operator, shovel soldier, sweeper, traffic flagger. Yet who’s going to be that skilled as the masters retire? And I haven t surveyed each worker so how can I be throwing out comments regards to who’s thinking what. Maybe the majority of contractors and CalTrans are kicking ass & punching in enthusiastically, giving they’re 100% heart & soul & loads of time at the chiropractor. I can’t say I know. I was responding from impatience, disappointment and yes, being overly critical. From a more rational point , my hunch is – as slides occur, that terrain becomes steeper. The slide out material doesn’t get placed back & attached. So every wash out creates a greater likelihood of more ..gravity is always going to be the dominate factor
Does anyone know how the grand canyon was formed? WATER!! There is water (ocean) on 1 side and hills on the other side. The earth moves, especially with the rains we have had. The workers love working 12 hour days 7 days a week and being away from their families for months on end. You chose to live there, so you have to live with the conditions that happen. Don’t take it out on the worker’s, they are just doing a job. If you know so much about building roads maybe you should apply for a job!
You seem to not understand the steepness and shifting land of Big Sur. We as humans are just visitors to the land. Big Sur has a mind of its own, it trys to keep the burden of socal touroids lower by doing this frequently. Nothing CT can really do to battle this short of putting in crazy spans like coastal Norway. But you would complain about that as well.
The big sur coast is VERY complex from a geological perspective. Caltrans has some of the best Geotechnical engineers in the WORLD! And they work with dozens of other experts to keep that highway open and safe, often risking their own safety! It’s almost a miracle that that road is even still there. I’m a retired Caltrans civil engineer. I worked in district 5 for thirty years and have worked on numerous route 1 projects. Caltrans is doing a phenomenal job out there keeping the road open and safe for business owners and travelers. It’s mo small task, I assure you!
Thank you BigSurKate. Got soooo much value out of your words, pictures, responses from others, and your care. Highway 1 and this stretch of country hold my sister and a lifetime of harmony, built and nurtured. And because it holds my sister, it also holds my heart.
Like most fields, civil engineering has evolved in modeling and practice. Contracting code is quite current and Infrastructure is designed, built and inspected to be compliant. That ain’t the problem -it’s a lack of funding for MAINTENANCE compounded by geologic instability. Tax $$ are dumped into state retirement benefits, not clearing culverts and drains.