All these photos were taken by Rock Knocker on May 25, 2017 and show the deteriorating condition of this bridge being subjected to massive stressors due to Convoys with 10 plus trucks at a time carrying loads which exceed this bridge’s capacity. This little bridge is at the very bottom of the grade on Nacimiento-Fergusson Rd., going eastbound, before one starts on the flats next to the river about 1/2 a mile from the first USFS campground – Nacimiento. This bridge is estimated to be between 50 and 75 years old, and hasn’t had ANY maintenance in a very long time. It is full of rust, deteriorating concrete and exposed rebar.

Here is an active link you can actually click on:

Deetjen’s tickets

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Dear Southside of the Bridge Residents of Big Sur,
This is an update to let you know the concerns that were raised at the Southside Community Meeting were taken to the Unified Command. That was step one, now we’re trying to make sure the right people can work with us to address some of the concerns.
Monday’s meeting was a short meeting, here are the highlights:
1. Cal Trans discussed Paul’s slide and explained various testing and that they are monitoring it very closely with hopes of having consistent openings by end of June. (lots happened since Monday)

2. CalTrans hopes the falling of Mud Creek is a positive step. Less material to be hauled away.
3. Convoy came across Nacemiento Tuesday and another scheduled for Thursday.
4. Sur Transportation, led by Weston: The shuttle service from Molera through the valley and to the trail is moving ahead. Plan for a soft opening of service on June 16th.
5. Lots of public education will accompany the shuttling. Trail use/best practices to be posted in parking area, on trail, in the shuttle, and within the ticket itself. Two 10 person vans will work the north and two will work the south. Still looking for drivers I believe!
6. Helicopter operator is doing his best to vary the route taken to spread the sound/sight burden
7. State Parks working on getting campground cleaned up so that they can open in July
8. USFS reports they are working through the process of closing the forest to fires early this year due to all calculations they think this can happen soon.
9. USFS working on a ban on camping along the Nacimiento road corridor as it represents the only emergency access to and from Big Sur.
10. Next Unified command meeting Monday June 5th, all are welcome.
11. Unified Command expressed an intent to hold a Southside Meeting, or send representatives to next Southside Community meeting
12. A Ride Share Website is being created, stay tuned for the link information

NEXT SOUTHSIDE COMMUNITY MEETING
POTLUCK June 7 at Loma Vista 5-7pm
Potluck and Community Update

Tell your neighbors, come and bring some yummy things to enjoy!

Carissa Chappellet

 

 

I don’t pretend to understand the data presented on this link, but it was sent to me by Kenny Comello and does have some valuable photographs and insights for those who understand these things. This one screen shot causes me concern about the Sea View Ranch (see the green line dissecting right through the ranch):

To see the rest of the information, go to:

USGS Mud Creek study

Later today, I will provide the most current update about Paul’s Slide from Cal Trans, once provided, and also photos of the little bridge that could (we hope) over Nacimiento.

Fire near the end of Schulte road.  Schulte Road is closed off including all residents. Air support is on-scene. Report is of power lines down per Skee Stanley, who is still connected, even though he left us for Texas.

Photo below shows the fire is almost out.

A couple more images provided by Scott.

Highway One is now fully closed in three spots – Mud Creek, Paul’s Slide, and Pfeiffer Bridge.
HIGHWAY 1 UPDATE – THURSDAY, MAY 25 AT 1 PM – PAUL’S SLIDE NOW FULLY CLOSED TO EVERYONE

PAUL’S SLIDE ON STATE ROUTE 1 HAS BEEN FULLY CLOSED TO EVERYONE AS OF 1 PM, THURSDAY, MAY 25. CALTRANS ENGINEERS REPORT SLIDE ACTIVITY AND THE AREA HAS BEEN CLOSED IN THE INTEREST OF PUBLIC SAFETY. THIS SLIDE WILL BE ASSESSED WITH AN ANNOUNCEMENT EXPECTED BY MID-DAY FRIDAY, MAY 26. LOCAL ACCESS AND DELIVERIES AT THE PREVIOUSLY ANNOUNCED TIMES HAVE BEEN SUSPENDED INCLUDING THIS EVENING WITH ACCEES TO BE RE-ASSESSED TOMORROW.

STATE ROUTE 1 REMAINS FULLY CLOSED IN BOTH DIRECTIONS AT MUD CREEK DUE TO CONTINUED SLIDE ACTIVITY. DELIVERY VEHICLES AND LOCAL RESIDENTS WILL NEED TO USE NACIMIENTO-FERGUSSON TO EXIT SOUTH OR TO CLEAR THE ACCESS TIMES AT PAUL’S SLIDE.

From Martha Karstens:

“Today I was given information from John Hiles that the department will be conducting much needed trail repairs to the Emergency Trail at South Camp in Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park. The repairs will focus on getting the trail back to original condition (re-widening, slope repair, step maintenance, etc) after taking damage from day to day wear and tear and also from trail misuse including cutting new volunteer trails off of the proper trail.

The Repairs will occur from Friday 5/26 through Wednesday 5/31. The work is scheduled to begin in the mornings after the schools kids are off of the trail and the work should be ending before the school kids get back. The exact times are not yet known but could be 0730 to 1500. We are waiting on specifics from the School District.

During the repairs, efforts will be made to lessen the inconvenience on the local trail users. The crew is hoping to be able to allow access to those waiting to use the trail and limit disruptions to no more than ½ hour at a time. State Park representatives will be stationed on each end of the trail to provide traffic control during construction hours.”

On Thursday, motorists will encounter delays during the movement of these four convoys westbound from 8 am to 10 am and 2 pm to 4 pm and eastbound from 11 am to 1 pm and from 5 pm to 7 pm.

Oh, joy, and still no word from ANYONE on the letter I sent re the small 15 ton bridge at the bottom of Nacimiento. Okay, all the appropriate agencies are on notice if anything happens. Let’s hope it doesn’t. BTW, Rock Knocker got photos. Mike Harlan thinks it is from the 60’s, Rock Knocker thinks it is older. I’ll post photos when I get them.

Update later: I actually heard from three agencies today, USFS referred me to County Roads, but Mary Adams has talked to Cal Trans and is expecting more from them tomorrow. At least they are listening.

HIGHWAY 1 UPDATE – TUESDAY, MAY 23 AT NOONTIME– PAUL’S SLIDE FUTURE ACCESS DEPENDENT ON SAFETY.

PAUL’S SLIDE ROADWORK HAS CEASED DUE TO SLIDE ACTIVITY WHICH HAS INCREASED. THE ROADWAY WILL BE ASSESSED AT EACH SCHEDULED ACCESS TIME (SHOWN BELOW), BUT IF ROADWAY IS DEEMED UNSAFE, SUCH AS MATERIAL COMING DOWN, LOW VISIBILITY DUE TO EXCESSIVE FOG OR SLIDE IS BEING ACTIVE, LOCALS/DELIVERIES WILL NOT BE ALLOWED THROUGH. FOR EXAMPLE, FOR TODAY’S EVENING ACCESS, LOCAL RESIDENTS CAN LINE UP, BUT IF MATERIAL IS COMING ONTO THE ROADWAY OR PAUL’S SLIDE IS ACTIVE, LOCALS WILL NOT BE GRANTED ACCESS.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
*Update #3*
CALTRANS ANNOUNCES NEXT CONVOY TO PFEIFFER CANYON BRIDGE

MONTEREY COUNTY – Caltrans will continue the process of delivering construction equipment and materials to the site of the demolished Pfeiffer Canyon Bridge on State Route 1 via Nacimiento-Fergusson Road from US Highway 101 on Tuesday, May 23 and Thursday, May 25.

These convoys will be escorted by the California Highway Patrol (CHP) and will include intermittent closures of Nacimiento-Fergusson Road on Tuesday, May 23 from 7:30 am to 3 pm and on Thursday, May 25 from 8 am until 7 pm. Motorists wishing to travel east/west in the morning must do so before the first convoy begins. On Thursday, motorists will encounter delays during the movement of these four convoys westbound from 8 am to 10 am and 2 pm to 4 pm and eastbound from 11 am to 1 pm and from 5 pm to 7 pm. All vehicles must not exceed 30 feet in length and a weight of 15 tons.

The Tuesday convoys will include asphalt and other materials in 10 trucks while the Thursday convoys will include the remaining 50% of the rock and sand necessary to create concrete abutments for the new bridge. Future convoys will transport two mobile batch plants, two concrete boom pump trucks, vacuum trucks and rebar cages. This equipment will be used to construct concrete abutments and overall construction of the new Pfeiffer Canyon Bridge (PM 45.52).

MAJOR SLIDE AT MUD CREEK ON STATE ROUTE 1 IN MONTEREY COUNTY

MONTEREY COUNTY – The Mud Creek (PM 8.9) area on State Route 1 sustained a major event on Saturday evening, May 20 when over a million tons of rock and dirt fell down the slope continuing down to the ocean floor 250 feet off the shoreline.

The Mud Creek area is ¼ mile in length, made up of five slides, four of which fell during this single event and consolidated into one slide. The remaining slide now extends 1,500 feet in length over State Route 1 and is about 35 to 40 feet deep.

Roadwork at Mud Creek was suspended and heavy equipment removed last week due to the threat of new slides and for safety of highway workers. Caltrans geologists and engineers plan to assess it further when this area stabilizes.

There is no estimate when this section of State Route 1, approximately nine miles north of the San Luis Obispo/Monterey County line will re-open.

 

Aerial video by Brian Mack.

The GIF video is about 23 seconds long. It shows the Mud Creek slide from two different angles. Please refresh the page if the video does not show.  You may need to wait some time for it to load completely.

Below are a couple screenshots from the video. 

The image below was rotated to show the slide from a level perspective.