COUNTY OF MONTEREY
PUBLIC WORKS, FACILITIES AND PARKS
Randell Ishii, MS, PE, TE, PTOE, Director 1441 Schilling Place, 2nd Floor
Salinas, California 93901-4527
September 1, 2023
(831) 755-4800 http://www.co.monterey.ca.us
County of Monterey Temporary Road Closure of Portion of Coast Road
Repairs expected to be completed by end of 2023
The County of Monterey Public Works, Facilities and Parks is temporarily closing a portion of Coast Road due to dangerous conditions and is working on repair plans for the road. The impacted area is from MP 3.26 to MP 3.8. Type III barricades and Road Closed signs are now in place.
The road can still be used by bicyclists, hikers, and equestrian trail riders, including through the closure. However, the impacted area is closed to cars and trucks. Motorists who reach the closure will need to turn around to get access back to State Route 1.
This closure is anticipated to last through the coming weeks. Completed repairs should be done by the end of the year.
Figure 1. Location Map.
Coast Road (AKA: Old Coast Road) experienced a road slip out approximately 3.3 miles from its northern intersection with State Route 1.
The soils in the area of the slip out are not stable and adding to the danger, there is a redwood tree along the cutslope (hill) that is encroaching in the travel lane. From the edge of the tree to the edge of the erosion, there is approx. 8-ft, 10-inches of road width remaining. The downhill side is an approximately 12-ft drop into a creek. This is very narrow for any vehicle, car or truck. This reduced width could potentially be a concern for a motorist unfamiliar with the area.
Emergency responders are being notified of the closure and road dangers so that they can make arrangements. Once repair work is completed, this temporary road closure will be removed and the road reopened for the motoring public.
Figure 2. Photos of Compromised Location.
2
Which primary factors brought about the “slipout?”
That tree is leaning in the direction of the missing one-half of its lateral root system. Not all ‘dozer operators are authorities in tree stability and instability. The angle of lean may be more than depicted here. Lever physics again.