This one seems to be the same one issued yesterday, as you will note at the end the next update has not been changed, but never-the-less, I will persist in posting it.

SR-1 Full Closure—Ragged Pt (SLO PM 72.87) to the Multi-Agency Facility “MAF”(MON PM 46.35). Recent rains did not change the status.
· Nacimiento-Fergusson Road is now open to the public.
· Public access on Highway 1, using Nacimiento-Fergusson, will be to Gorda (PM 10) to the south, and to Limekiln State Park (PM 20) to the north.
· Friday deliveries: Residents and deliveries will be allowed through at Paul’s Slide and Mud Creek once per week on Fridays between 5:30am – 9:00am, and 5:00pm – 7:30pm. Delivery vehicles are limited to 30 feet in length and up to 50,000 pounds.
· Residents will have access between Ragged Point and Limekiln State Park and from north of Paul’s Slide to just south of Pfeiffer Canyon Bridge between 5:30 am and 7:30 pm. Four gates are closing the roadway overnight at the following locations: 1) south end of Mud Creek (PM 8.8); 2) north end of Mud Creek (PM 8.9); 3) North end of Limekiln Creek Bridge (PM 21.07) and 4) north end of Hermitage wall (PM 22.42).
o Emergency services will have overnight access to the locked gates.

Mud Creek (PM 8.9):
· The roadway continues to deteriorate as slide activity continues daily. Further updates about the ability to pass through this section will be provided as the slide stabilizes.
· For now, resident access will continue to be allowed daily between 5:30 am and 7:30 pm.

Paul’s Slide (PM 21.6):
· As of today, Wednesday, March 22nd , there will be limited access due to major excavation above the roadway; access is limited to 5:30am – 6:00am and 7:00pm – 7:30pm. This will be for a minimum of four to six weeks and we will continually evaluate for opportunities to improve local resident access.
· For the Friday opportunities to resupply, access is limited to vehicles weighing 50,000 lbs., with a maximum vehicle length of 30 feet.
· Work will performed 24/7 as conditions allow, and updates will continue to be provided.

IMPORTANT NOTE – CALTRANS PFEIFFER CYN. BRIDGE (PM 45.5):
· Demolition of the bridge is nearly complete: bridge debris clearing from the canyon began Monday and operations to demolish Span 1 (south side) and clear debris from the canyon continues, as the rain allows. Please stay clear of the area for your own safety and to allow the construction team to work on re-building this vital part of the road.

All business north of the Pfeiffer Canyon Bridge closure are open to the public.

ADDITIONAL NOTES:
· Due to the nature of the construction activities, access will be subject to change on a regular basis.

· Another update regarding the Highway 1 Big Sur Coast will be provided mid-day on Wednesday, March 22 or sooner if conditions change.

· NOTE: For information on emergency services only (not Caltrans inquiries) for the Big Sur Coast, you may contact Gerry Malais, Mon. Co. OES via email at: malaisg@co.monterey.ca.us or Maia Carroll, Mon. Co. OES PIO at carrollm@co.monterey.ca.us .

Hello!
It is with great regret that I write to tell you that once again the Big Sur Jade Festival is canceled for May 5, 6, 7! As you know, Big Sur and Highway 1 have suffered massive damages this winter to render the area “not ready for prime time”. The conditions on Highway 1 are such that people from the north & south would have had to travel through the narrow 1 & 1/2 lane mountain road of Nacimiento-Fergusson, making travel very long and dangerous, with the amount of people who would be coming. With winter conditions still upon us, travel over that road could be impassable at any time. We were certain the USFS would not have issued us a permit under those conditions. So to be prudent, we canceled the festival for the May dates and are reverting back to the Oct. 6-8 dates. We know that may be fire season once again, but are trying to remain optimistic!

It seems incredulous to cancel the festival once again, but this has been 1 hell of a year in Big Sur between the fires starting in July and slides beginning in January, just 6 months apart! There will be an announcement on our website & Facebook, but please tell everyone you know to once again look forward to an October festival. We’ll have our 25th, yet!

Once again, my sincere apologies. Thank you for your understanding.

Lisa Gering & the Big Sur Jade Festival Committee

In response to my question re the above, I got this from the Superintendent of the Big Sur State Park:

“My previous statement, as posted in comment section, regarding bicycles is correct. This is an emergency by pass trail intended for pedestrian traffic only. Bicycles will not be suitable or allowed.

Thank you,

John De Luca
Sector Superintendent / SPS III (acting)
California State Parks
Big Sur Sector – Monterey District”

A bicylist contacted the State Park and got this same reply. He is working out the inland route for bicyclists and will be sharing the same with the bicycling community. Given the nature of some comments on the last post re bicyclists on this by-pass trail, I have turned comments OFF for this post and won’t be answering any private emails, either.

“Good Afternoon,

County staff issued a notice for hearing on the Short Term Rental (STR) ordinance. Due to conditions in Big Sur preventing accessibility to participate in this hearing, staff will be recommending continuing the hearing to a date uncertain. We have a status report and a draft of the ordinance that we will send out prior to the next hearing. County will re-notice the matter when we have a solution for full participation. Again, staff will recommend that the Commission continue the matter and request that testimony at the hearing on March 29, 2017 be limited to the question of continuance only.

Thank you,

Jacqueline R. Onciano
Planning Commission Secretary”

Jacquelyn Nickerson
Administrative Secretary
Monterey County
Resource Management Agency
Land Use Division
831-755-5240

SR-1 Full Closure—Ragged Pt (SLO PM 72.87) to the Multi-Agency Facility “MAF”(MON PM 46.35). Please note changes since yesterday below:

· Nacimiento-Fergusson Road is now open to the public.
· Public access on Highway 1, using Nacimiento-Fergusson, will be to Gorda (PM 10) to the south, and to Limekiln State Park (PM 20) to the north.
· There will be a complete closure at Paul’s Slide (PM 21.6). Residents will have limited access (mornings from 5:30am – 6:00am and evenings from 7:00pm – 7:30pm). These daily windows will not allow for deliveries.
· Friday deliveries: Residents and deliveries will be allowed through at Paul’s Slide and Mud Creek once per week on Fridays between 5:30am – 9:00am, and 5:00pm – 7:30pm. Delivery vehicles are limited to 30 feet in length and up to 50,000 pounds.
· Residents will have access between Ragged Point and Limekiln State Park and from north of Paul’s Slide to just south of Pfeiffer Canyon Bridge between 5:30 am and 7:30 pm. Four gates are closing the roadway overnight at the following locations: 1) south end of Mud Creek (PM 8.8); 2) north end of Mud Creek (PM 8.9); 3) North end of Limekiln Creek Bridge (PM 21.07) and 4) north end of Hermitage wall (PM 22.42).
o Emergency services will have overnight access to the locked gates.

Mud Creek (PM 8.9):
· The roadway continues to deteriorate as slide activity continues daily. Further updates about the ability to pass through this section will be provided as the slide stabilizes.
· For now, resident access will continue to be allowed daily between 5:30 am and 7:30 pm.

Paul’s Slide (PM 21.6):
· Starting tomorrow, Wednesday, March 22nd , there will be limited access due to major excavation above the roadway; access is limited to 5:30am – 6:00am and 7:00pm – 7:30pm. This will be for a minimum of four to six weeks and we will continually evaluate for opportunities to improve local resident access.
· For the Friday opportunities to resupply, access is limited to vehicles weighing 50,000 lbs., with a maximum vehicle length of 30 feet.
· Work will performed 24/7 as conditions allow, and updates will continue to be provided.

IMPORTANT NOTE – CALTRANS PFEIFFER CYN. BRIDGE (PM 45.5):
· Demolition of the bridge is nearly complete: bridge debris clearing from the canyon began yesterday and operations to demolish Span 1 (south side) and clear debris from the canyon continues, as the rain allows. Please stay clear of the area for your own safety and to allow the construction team to work on re-building this vital part of the road.

All business north of the Pfeiffer Canyon Bridge closure are open to the public.

ADDITIONAL NOTES:
· Due to the nature of the construction activities, access will be subject to change on a regular basis.

· Another update regarding the Highway 1 Big Sur Coast will be provided mid-day on Wednesday, March 22 or sooner if conditions change.

· NOTE: For information on emergency services only (not Caltrans inquiries) for the Big Sur Coast, you may contact Gerry Malais, Mon. Co. OES via email at: malaisg@co.monterey.ca.us or Maia Carroll, Mon. Co. OES PIO at carrollm@co.monterey.ca.us .

Given the totals of the rain amounts so far, for this first, MILD influx of rain, I am not anxious to see what the heavier storm later in the week brings. We are between 2 and 1/2″ and over 4″ down here on the South Coast. That can’t bode well for Paul’s Slide or Mud Creek.

SR-1 Full Closure—Ragged Pt (SLO PM 72.87) to the Multi-Agency Facility “MAF”(MON PM 46.35). Please note changes since last Friday below:

· Nacimiento-Fergusson Road is now open to the public.
· Public access on Highway 1, using Nacimiento-Fergusson, will be to Gorda (PM 10) to the south, and to Limekiln State Park (PM 20) to the north.
· There will be a complete closure at Paul’s Slide (PM 21.6). Residents will have limited access (mornings from 5:30am – 6:00am and evenings from 7:00pm – 7:30pm). These daily windows will not allow for deliveries.
· Friday deliveries: Residents and deliveries will be allowed through at Paul’s Slide and Mud Creek once per week on Fridays between 5:30am – 9:00am, and 5:00pm – 7:30pm. Delivery vehicles are limited to 30 feet in length and up to 50,000 pounds.
· Residents will have access between Ragged Point and Limekiln State Park and from north of Paul’s Slide to just south of Pfeiffer Canyon Bridge between 5:30 am and 7:30 pm. Starting tonight, Monday, March 20th, four gates will close the roadway overnight at the following locations: 1) south end of Mud Creek (PM 8.8); 2) north end of Mud Creek (PM 8.9); 3) North end of Limekiln Creek Bridge (PM 21.07) and 4) north end of Hermitage wall (PM 22.42).
o Emergency services will have overnight access to the locked gates.

Mud Creek (PM 8.9):
· The roadway continues to deteriorate as slide activity continues daily. Further updates about the ability to pass through this section will be provided as the slide stabilizes.
· For now, resident access will continue to be allowed daily between 5:30 am and 7:30 pm.

Paul’s Slide (PM 21.6):
· Starting Wednesday, March 22nd , there will be limited access due to major excavation above the roadway; access is limited to 5:30am – 6:00am and 7:00pm – 7:30pm. This will be for a minimum of four to six weeks and we will continually evaluate for opportunities to improve local resident access.
· For the Friday opportunities to resupply, access is limited to vehicles weighing 50,000 lbs., with a maximum vehicle length of 30 feet.
· Work will performed 24/7 as conditions allow, and updates will continue to be provided.

IMPORTANT NOTE – CALTRANS PFEIFFER CYN. BRIDGE (PM 45.5):
· Demolition of the bridge is nearly complete. Please stay clear of the area for your own safety and to allow the construction team to work on re-building this vital part of the road.

All business north of the Pfeiffer Canyon Bridge closure are open to the public.

ADDITIONAL NOTES:
· Due to the nature of the construction activities, access will be subject to change on a regular basis.

· Another update regarding the Highway 1 Big Sur Coast will be provided mid-day on Tuesday, March 21 or sooner if conditions change.

· NOTE: For information on emergency services only (not Caltrans inquiries) for the Big Sur Coast, you may contact Gerry Malais, Mon. Co. OES via email at: malaisg@co.monterey.ca.us or Maia Carroll, Mon. Co. OES PIO at carrollm@co.monterey.ca.us or via phone at (831) 796-3092.

NOTE: TODAY TWO PEOPLE USED NACIMIENTO TO MAKE THEIR WAY ALL THE WAY UP TO POST RANCH. THIS WAS REPORTED TO CAL TRANS WHO INDICATED THEY WILL BE LOOKING TO PREVENT THIS. IT WAS REPORTED TO ME AND I WAS ABLE TO COPY IT AND SEND IT ON TO CAL TRANS. PLEASE CONTINUE TO SEND ME THIS TYPE OF INFORMATION SO I CAN FORWARD IT ON TO THE POWERS THAT BE.

I have been getting a lot of requests lately from bicyclists and others about the use of the trail that is being constructed partially by locals for locals through a closed area, and I would offer this observation: the community does not think this (the use of the trail by bicyclists or others) is a good idea. It is narrow and steep, and full of steps. We are trying to heal. The path is an emergency measure for those who live here who are trying to survive – separation from loves ones; separation from work and home; and separation from children and their schools. It is our way of surviving, not a way to welcome guests. We would ask the bicycling community and others to honor and respect the healing we are trying to obtain in a difficult situation and time. I know you would love to experience the coast without all the cars, so would we. However, it is not just the bridge, it is the other two problems – Paul’s Slide and Mud Creek, one of which will be closed to visitors all of April and probably May as well. So the trail will not get you down the coast. There are other closures preventing a through passageway.

We want visitors, our community makes most of our living off of visitors, but we want them when it is safe for all. Please, we will welcome you when the road is open, but not when it is not open or safe. If you love Big Sur, honor her. She is saying she has had enough for now. Let her rest and recover. Let us rest and recover, we spent all summer fighting fire; we have been burned out of our homes; and winter has brought us floods that have ruined our roads. We are fragile, as a people and as a land. When the road is open, completely, or only just from the south or just from the north, we will welcome you. Right now, it is only open on the north from Carmel to the MAF – Big Sur Ranger Station, and not at all on the south. Bring your tourist dollars to the area and businesses that are open, but … Please. Honor Big Sur and the people who live here and the land and the people’s need to heal. If you love Big Sur, you will listen to what she is saying … give her and us time. Please.

Today’s Date: Sunday, March 19, 2017
District 05: Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, Monterey, San Benito and Santa
Cruz Counties
Contact: Susana Z. Cruz (bilingual) or Jim Shivers
Phone: (805) 549-3138 or (805) 549-3237
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

DEMOLITION OF PFEIFFER CANYON BRIDGE SUCCESSFUL THIS WEEKEND WITH REMOVAL OF SPAN TWO/PROJECT CONTINUES THIS WEEK

MONTEREY COUNTY – The demolition of the Pfeiffer Canyon Bridge on State Route 1 continued on Saturday, March 18 with a successful demolition of
span No. 2 (middle section). Span No. 3 (north section) was demolished on Thursday, March 16.

The demolition of Span No. 1 (south section) will begin Monday, March 20, weather permitting and is expected to take several days to complete.
In addition, work to recover debris from the demolished spans will occur over the next several days.

This bridge was closed last month due to mud/rock slides which caused unrepairable damage. A replacement bridge will be built and is expected to take nine to twelve months to complete.

Caltrans will provide updates regarding this demolition process as warranted.

From Kurt tonight:

“Hi Kate just got back from trail work , I volunteered today and at lunch time they told me there was a fire at the deli I checked it out and a pan left unintended caught on fire. It was in a 8 by 10 metal building and it did blacked the interior pretty good but no real damage thankfully- the cooks need to pay attention. I’ll check out the produce thing because we do need someone who can deliver- thanks Kurt”

Jeff Mallory just brought this to my attention. I know nothing else, but would certainly like any additional information available. Thank goodness there is a water tender on the south side of the bridge, and the fire house. I hope and pray for Kurt this is a minor incident or better yet, an error.
Incident: 00106
Type: Report of Fire
Location: Sr1 / Big Sur Deli
Loc Desc: SR1 AT BIG SUR DELI, MM 45.30
Lat/Lon: <http://www.google.com/maps/place/36.238431%20-121.772007>36.238431 -121.772007
Detail Information
10:34 AM2[2] TRANS TO MONT COM
10:34 AM1[1] POSS STRUCTURE FIRE
Unit Information
10:35 AM1Unit Assigned