It is confirmed, the meeting regarding the effect of the Rocky Creek Viaduct on Emergency Services, if any, will take place this Thursday at MAF at 10:00 am, with a follow-up question and answer period at the BSMAAC in Oct.
Category: Rocky Creek Road Closure
A collection of all the posts re: this closure, as it could become quite lengthy.
A little of this, a little of that
To me, our hills are very sensuous, particularly in the spring, as when this one was shot.
Just a word of update for all those curious about what has been happening on the case involving the 5 Cal Trans workers. The last court date was 8/23, and it was continued again until October, which is not unusual, apparently due to voluminous amounts of paper. There has not been a preliminary hearing, yet.
The same contractor who has been doing this project will be starting the Rocky Creek Viaduct after labor day. There will be a community meeting about the impact of the project, if any, on Emergency Services this week. It is looking like Thursday at MAF at 10:00, but that has not yet been firmed up. Cal Trans is also looking to make a presentation at the next MAF meeting in October.
Okay, this doesn’t have to do with anything. I just like it!
Rocky Creek Viaduct Emergency Services meeting.
This from the Cal-Trans Engineer. I sent him contact info for Maia Carroll, Monterey County Communications, Martha Karstens, and Frank Pinney. Also, as Martha points out, CHP and MCSO should be in the loop. I will post all information about this project, including the final date and time of next week’s meeting, as soon as my Internet allows.
Hello Big Sur Locals,
I’d like to give you the opportunity to meet with the Caltrans Resident
Engineer to go over any questions or concerns you might have before
construction gets underway. We just had the “pre-construction” meeting
with the Contractor yesterday so now is a good time for this meeting. I
was thinking Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday of next week (August 28, 29,
or 30) at the Monterey Resident Engineers Office at 1529 Highway 68,
Monterey, CA 93940. Please let me know if you’d like to attend and which
day is best for you.
I was wondering if anyone knows who, emergency services wise, should be
invited to this meeting in case I’ve missed anybody. Emergency services
impacts during construction will be one of the topics discussed. Thanks.
I, Kate, will be doing my best to attend, and will report on the meeting. I also need to schedule a meeting with the new Supervisor for the Willow Springs Maintenance Yard, the Big Sur Maintenance Yard, as well as the Foreman for the Rain Rocks/Pitkins Curve project. I will be really busy next week, if I can set all this up. I do have personal and work matters next week, also, so it may be the following week before I can follow through on it all.
Rocky Creek Viaduct
Today’s Date: Monday, August 13, 2012
District: 05 – Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, Monterey, San Benito, Santa Cruz Counties
Contact: Susana Z Cruz (bilingual) or Colin Jones
Phone: (805) 549-3138 or 549-3189
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
HIGHWAY 1/ROCKY CREEK VIADUCT PROJECT TO BEGIN AFTER LABOR DAY
MONTEREY COUNTY – A project to construct a permanent viaduct about 15 miles
south of Carmel near the Rocky Creek Bridge along Highway 1 will begin
after Labor Day, Caltrans officials have announced.
This project came about after a roadway slipout caused severe damage to the
southbound lane and required Hwy. 1 to be closed from north of Big Sur and
south of Carmel at Rocky Creek from March 17 through April 16, 2011.
Roadwork is scheduled to begin after Labor Day and be completed by the end
of 2013. In addition, some planting of new vegetation will occur.
The contractor for this $11 million project is Golden State Bridge Inc. of
Martinez. (Ed. Note: This is the same company that has been doing both the bridge at Pitkin’s Curve and the rock shed at Rain Rocks.)
In order to minimize impact and as part of the project, some overnight
closures will take place but there will be plenty of advance notification
for motorists, residents and businesses.
Caltrans reminds motorists to move over and slow down when driving
through highway work zones.
For traffic updates on other state highways in Monterey County, motorists
can call Caltrans District 5 Public Affairs at (805) 549-3318 or visit the
District 5 website at: http://www.dot.ca.gov/dist05/road_information.htm
Susana Z. Cruz
Public Information Officer /
Portavoz de Relaciones Públicas
(805) 549-3138
(805) 549-3326–Fax
On another note, Jack Ellwanger is leaving Big Sur, and is looking for someone to take over the WildBigSur emailings.
Rocky Creek Viaduct
Cal -Trans made a very informative presentation of the proposed Rocky Creek Viaduct at Friday’s BSMAAC meeting. I’ ve suggested they put the presentation up on their website, and when they do, I will let you know.
The most relevant points for most of us in the Big Sur Community and the traveling public are:
Construction to start after Labor Day; 24 overnight closures anticipated between October 2012 and February 2013; the contractors are to give Cal-Trans 24 hour notice of the intended closures, and the PIO will notify the current list of media and relevant organizations, including this blog; The closures are limited on Monday-Thursday to 9 pm-7am, midnight to 7am on Friday, none on Saturday, and 9pm to midnight on Sunday (when presumably Monday kicks in until 7am). As is currently the case with all road closures, provisions are being made for emergency vehicles. Of course, this all is dependent on the cooperation of Mother Nature.
I will keep you all posted as the anticipated construction time gets closer.
Editor’s note: I am glad that Cal-Trans has shortened the closure from the 8pm deadline the South Coast experienced lately.
(This is a test of the publishing capabilities of bigsurkate from home via iPad. If you see this, it worked! (My, what interesting word combos the autocorrect came up with for bigsurkate!)
Upcoming Public Meetings
Sorry I haven’t been in cyberspace for a bit. End of summer approaches, and it is as if there is a frenetic energy for out of town visitors to beat the Labor Day crowds. My aunt and uncle come every year for a month to Pismo Beach, and it is my one time to visit, so I often go spend a few days down there. Out-of-state visitors are also coming for a visit in the next few days, and Rock Knocker has needed my help on some overnight projects lately, too. Of course, I squeeze some work in between all of this. Summer photos shortly.
Several Cal-Trans meetings are being held in the next two weeks that are of interest to all of us.
The first is regarding the design of the viaduct at Rocky Creek:
“HI Everyone,
We have scheduled our first Aesthetic Design Advisory Committee (ADAC) meeting to discuss the aesthetics of the proposed Rocky Creek Viaduct (bridge) railing, that will be constructed along the ocean side of the structure and will be designed to not only protect errant vehicles from the edge but also bicyclists and pedestrians.
The meeting will be held at the Big Sur Station Multi-Agency Facility on August 10, 2011 starting at 10:00 AM and lasting until approximately 1:00 PM or until we mutually agree we’ve covered the topics.
A packet of information will be emailed out to everyone prior to the meeting.
Thank you everyone for your participation!
Ken Dostalek
Caltrans, District 5
Project Management
805-549-3133
*************************************************************
The second addresses the truck climbing lane between Rio Rd. and Carmel Valley Road:
Road Closed Ahead – Highway One at Alder Creek
No shit, Sherlock… that’s what I was going to call this photo of Alder Creek I took on Mother’s Day. Then I remembered that the titles of my posts go on Facebook, Twitter, Monterey County Weekly, and other places, so decided to go conservative. I love the juxtaposition of the sign.
Here is one from Cal-Trans showing the work accomplished over a week’s period there at Alder Creek.
And here are a couple from Rock Knocker, taken on Saturday, May 7th. One can clearly see rocks falling all the way down the slide area, and in the second one, one can see the splashes into to the ocean of the falling rocks. And you want to know if you can walk across down there? What do you think?
Okay, tomorrow we’ll take a look at Rain Rocks and Pitkin’s Curve. The Engineering is fascinating!
Alder Creek Bad News
Issued today: “Due to the physical constraints of this very difficult operation, the estimated opening date (subject to change) is now four to eight weeks from today.”
Four weeks “from today” is June 1st. Eight weeks is June 29th. Plan accordingly – as in Rock Bob’s memorial is looking like July or thereabouts. Oh, darn. I just remembered the workers I hired and pre-paid for supplies; and the water tank I pre-paid for delivery from Loomis. I have several thousands of dollars out for things I cannot get until July, now. Darn.
*Important Rocky Creek Update*
Just received from Cal-Trans today, Tuesday, May 3rd:
“Geologic drilling at Rocky Creek (Post Mile 60.5) will begin this Thursday, May 5 and continue daily through next Friday, May 13. Work hours are from 7 am to 6 pm. On weekdays, traffic will be held for up to 15 minutes to allow the maximum drilling to be performed. On Saturday and Sunday, reverse one-way traffic control with flaggers will take place, in conjunction with the existing signal. The purpose for this drilling is to perform subsurface investigations for the permanent roadway fix.”
And regarding Alder Creek, this was received yesterday, Monday, May 2d:
“Geologic instability and debris falling on Highway 1 at Alder Creek (Post Mile 7.5) have closed the roadway completely in both directions to all public, including motorized vehicles, pedestrians and cyclists. THIS SECTION OF HWY. 1 REMAINS EXTREMELY UNSTABLE WITH CREWS CONTINUALLY MONITORING THE AREA. Two spyders (like a backhoe) and two bulldozers are now removing slide debris. The opening date is estimated to be 4 to 6 weeks.”
That 4-6 week estimate has not changed since the slide on April 14th, 2011. I will have to seek clarification of that from Cal-Trans this week and let you know what I find out.
Oh, and this wonderful shot was sent to me yesterday by Paul Danielson from the area of San Martin Top. From this perspective, while one cannot see the slide at Alder Creek, one can see Shale Point, just south of it, as well as the tiny cars of the workers on the south end, and the difference in the water color where the slide is sliding into the ocean. Fun shot. Thank you Paul! A closer look reveals what *may* be the top of the slide. Look at that bare spot just beyond the green in about the middle of the lower third of the photo.
Rocky Creek open at 8 pm tonight
It is official. The road will be open 24/7 to one lane of controlled traffic at Rocky Creek beginning at 8 pm tonight, Wednesday, April 20th. Alder Creek still closed for several weeks.