Category: Road Conditions

Road Conditions, 3/14/16

At 11:30 am I received this email:

“Just back from walking dogs @ Rocky Creek. Incident jno mm60 (which is just north of the new Rocky Creek viaduct) is entirely cleared. It looks to have been some stray branches from the Westmere cypress trees.” (Martha Diehl)

6:00 am – just got word from a local (sent t 12:30 am, but just received) that Nacimiento is closed due to slides.

As of 5:30 am the CHP website lists 3 areas of concern. (Try as I might, I can’t seem to copy and paste). From South to North they are: MM 26, 34, and 60. MM 26 is Gamboa Point, but the CHP lists it as just north of Limekiln State Park, which is actually closer to MM 20. This one is listed as rocks and boulders and barely enough room for a small car to get through. CHP says there is signage, but not enough. MM 34 is near Esalen’s South Coast Center, and 60 is just South of Palo Colorado Canyon. One of them is a tree that is crossing both lanes, but unclear which. Dawn is still a couple hours away, at which time dawn patrol will be out clearing the way. Until then, be careful, aware, and drive slowly.

Storm Report, 3/13/16

11 pm – bedtime. Currently at 1.82″ since midnight. Still raining. Remembered to write down the monthly amount so I can figure out the rain amount for this last hour. Be safe everyone.

Okay, I’ve been taking the day off, but not without checking on things, specifically road conditions. Here is one that won’t affect most of us … It’s on Garrapatos RD.
Incident: 00365 Type: Traffic Hazard Location: 59625 Garrapatos Rd Loc Desc: Lat/Lon: 36.400156 -121.873975
Detail Information
4:39 PM 3 [5] RP HAS PLACED A RR TIE IN THE RDWY
4:38 PM 2 [4] APPRX 200 YDS FRM THE PRVT ROAD
4:36 PM 1 [1] SINK HOLE IN MIDDLE OF RD , DUE TO A CULVERT THAT HAS BEEN UNDERMINED

I have received over an inch since midnight. I forgot to write down the monthly amount so I could figure out later what I received from 8 pm until midnight. Sorry

Highway One blocked near Esalen

2:45 – ANOTHER BLOCKAGE

Incident: 00054 Type: Traffic Hazard Location: Sr1 / Sycamore Canyon Rd Loc Desc: SR1 JSO PFEIFFER BIG SUR STATE PARK Lat/Lon: 36.240221 -121.777039
Detail Information
2:40 AM 3 [7] 1039 CT DIST 5
2:38 AM 2 [3] BLOCKING ALL OF SB SR1 AND PART OF NB SR1
2:36 AM 1 [1] TREE BLOCKING HWY JSO BIG SUR STATE PARK

2;30 pm – Winds nasty this early am, and rain is pouring. This is a 60′ tree near Esalen’s back gate blocking the road. A SIG alert has been issued. UPDATE – CAL TRANS SUPERVISOR ENROUTE TO ASSESS, WILL BE 1/2 HOUR OR MORE UNTIL ARRIVAL.UPDATE AT 3 AM – TREE CLEARED AND ROAD OPEN AT THIS LOCATION.

From CHP website:

Incident: 00037 Type: Traffic Hazard Location: 54201 Sr1 Loc Desc: SR1 JSO BIG SUR MM 33 Lat/Lon: 36.139275 -121.650808
Detail Information
2:17 AM 10 [21] EMAIL SENT TO CAL TRANS ALSO
2:01 AM 9 [19] 1039 SLO COM CENTER
1:59 AM 8 [18] 1039 MTY COM
1:56 AM 7 [16] 1039 27-S6 UPDATED
1:55 AM 6 [15] PER CAL TRANS , SUPV ENRT TO CHECK AND WILL ADVISE IF ROAD WILL BE CLOSED
1:49 AM 5 [14] PER S6 , CONFIRM CAL TRANS WILL PUT OUT SIGNS NEAR CARMEL TO ADVISE CLOSED
1:47 AM 4 [12] BLOCKING BOTH NB/SB LNS JNO MPM 33
1:47 AM 3 [11] [Notification] [CHP]-PER CAL TRANS DONT RESPOND AT NIGHT MIGHT HAVE TO CLOSE ROAD
1:46 AM 2 [8] 1039 CAL TRANS
1:42 AM 1 [1] LARGE TREE ROOTED UP , 1125

 

Reminder: Highway One closed tonight between 10 pm and 6 am tomorrow

All businesses north and south of the slide will be open as usual, but best to be past the closure and nearing your destination in plenty of time to avoid any inconvenience.

“Cow Cliffs [just north of Big Creek] will have its first overnight full closure on Thursday, Jan. 28 from 10 pm until 6 am (Friday morning from PM28-PM29) to place girders on the viaduct. Electronic message boards will be activated to inform motorists of this hard closure. The CHP will assist with traffic control. Motorists are advised to reach their destination by 10 pm on Thursday, Jan. 28.”

Road Closures, Highway One, 1/22/16

imageHighway One is blocked at Captain Copper. CHP says this:
7:25 PM 6 [7] UNK IF RDWY WILL BE COMPLETELY BLOCKED
7:25 PM 5 [6] 1039 CT – SUPERVISOR ENRT TO CPT COOPER TO ASSESS
7:22 PM 4 [5] CAN CT PUT OUT SIGN BOARD AT RIO RD – 12 WILL BE TURNING AROUND VEHS
7:12 PM 3 [3] PER CALTRANS – THEY DO NOT WORK AT NIGHT SO THEY WILL PROBABLY CLOSE THE WHOLE RDWAY DOWN
7:11 PM 2 [2] 1039 CALTRANS
7:09 PM 1 [1] ACTIVE SLIDE / ROCKS AND LAND- RDWY COMPLETELY BLOCKED

There is also this, but it doesn’t say which highway. If it is ours, it is by Coast Gallery, notorious for problems

6:31 PM – mud/dirt/rocks MM42 no details.

Above is a photo taken near White Rock (just south of Coast Gallery) taken by Jon Knight, BSVFB. Greg DeAlba, Maintenance Supervisor, Willow Springs Station, also says the slide near Captain Cooper was cleared.

 

 

Highway One Road Conditions, 1/19/16

9:30 pm – Hard Closure to last until midnight – 2 am, according to a local who drove there and asked.

HIGHWAY ONE TO CLOSE AT 6:00 PM – Hard Closure at Fernwood to clear tree and fix power lines. Stay tuned to CHP site.

4:30 pm – PGE, Our Great ever-present BSVFD, and CT dealing with wires down across both lanes near Fernwood. Power to be turned back on when resolved.

there is also a slide at MM 44.30, per CHP, which is approximately 1/2.mile south of Ventana. There are other unreported slides, according to my son who just got back from town.

REMEMBER, CAL-TRANSCDOES NOT PATROL AFTER DARK, and with so much rain from this storm (5″ in many places on the South Coast) these slides are only just beginning! Even tomorrow, when there will be a break in the rain, slides will be occurring. BE SAFE OUT THERE!

Weather and Road Report, 1/19/16

I am out of town, but just checked with neighbor who reports 4″ of rain this storm, and sustained 50 mph winds.

My son, Brendon just went to town, north, and reports 4 slides blocking the NB lanes. He sent me a video … I am trying to see if I can upload, but WP is saying it is not a supported file type. I’ll keep trying. The one he sent is just south of Deetjen’s.

Okay, here is the url to YouTube:

Highway One Closure, 1/15/16

From a long time South Coaster: “FYI: Slide just on the bend coming up out of Partington Canyon, south bound. [PM 37.9] Returning from town today about 5:30 or so waited about a half hour and caught in a long line with Cal Trans crews letting cars through one lane open at a time. No big deal but it was unstable and close to dark so wondered if the road might be going to close overnight. I will keep an eye on your website to see if you get the scoop.”

Colin Jones at Caltrans says Highway 1 will be closed overnight just south of Coast Gallery (MM 40.9) to Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park (MM 36.0).
The closure will start at sundown and they will re-evaluate at first light tomorrow morning.

CHP website is presently misreporting the incident at “Pfeiffer Big Sur Main Entrance Road” and Colin will be calling them to get that corrected.

 

Boulders and Rocks fall on vehicle 1 and 1/2 miles south of Deetjens

It is unclear from the log if this was last night or this morning.  Don’t drive on Highway One in the dark unless it is absolutely necessary … Cal Trans is not out after dark nor before sunrise as it is too dangerous! You may be taking your life in your hands – or at least the life of your vehicle.
Detail Information
7:37 AM 8 [21] AIR OPS CALLED/ ADVZD CHKNG WEATHER/THEN WILL CHK FOR A TC
6:58 PM 7 [15] PER S7 CHK IF AIR CAN COME AND CHK FOR THE VEH
6:46 PM 6 [13] 1039 UNITED TOW 1022 / BOT
6:22 PM 5 [10] [Rotation Request Comment] 1039 UNITED TOW 831-393-5000 ENRT
6:22 PM 4 [9] START 1185
6:13 PM 3 [5] 1125
6:12 PM 2 [3] PSRBY STOPPED TO PULL OCCS OO VEH
6:12 PM 1 [1] ROCKS AND BOULDERS FELL ON VEH

(list of units assigned mentioned at 11:30 AM)

This is what CAN happen, and did happen on Highway 140, the entrance to Yosemite this am, for those who did not see my FB page.

image

The whales are migrating

There are reports that the annual migration south has begun. Given traffic hazard reports, it seems everyone is out looking. Here is a CHP traffic hazard report re Rocky Point area:
1:26 PM 1 [1] LOTS OF VEHS 1125 BOTH NB AND SB SIDE

Be careful out there … I noticed lots and lots of tourists Sunday at JP Burns (ignoring cones, fog lines, other traffic), Bixby (ignoring no parking signs), Hurricane Point, Garapatta, and all points northerly, many seemingly ready to prove Darwin right.