Cal-Trans sent out these photos today, so we all can see how it looks and how it is working. Looks great to me!

From Kirk Gafill (with apologies to all who received this – but the info is critical for all Big Surians and others in nearby counties)

Dear All,

As we now move into our next phase of limited highway access with Alder Creek slide likely to prevent access on Highway 1 from the south for a period of weeks, perhaps longer, it is imperative that our community contact our elected representatives to urge their support of Caltrans efforts to re-open Highway 1 in the timeliest manner possible. I am very appreciative of Caltrans efforts to date and believe that their management as well as on the ground engineers, construction, maintenance , and public information staff are doing all within their power to re-open the highway at Alder Creek.

Unfortunately, given the size of the slide, the proximity of the slide to the National Marine Sanctuary, various other potential environmental impact concerns, the lack of nearby earth disposal sites, and the requirements of Caltrans to interface with agencies such as NOAA, I believe we need to ensure our elected officials are fully aware of the social and economic impact of this year’s highway closures on the Big Sur community, the northern San Luis Obispo County communities, and the Monterey Peninsula, to ensure they are providing Caltrans with both the mandate and the resources necessary to effect the timeliest re-opening of the Alder Creek slide possible.

Many residents and businesses are still suffering the economic effects of the Basin Complex Fire in 2008 and the effect of this year’s series of highway closures has been of a similar economic magnitude, with an as yet uncertain time frame before the community can rely upon the traveling public having unrestricted access on Highway 1 along the entirety of the Big Sur Coast, from Cambria to Carmel.

From a community and Big Sur Chamber of Commerce perspective, I would recommend consideration of the following points in your outreach to our elected officials:

· Provide Caltrans with the mandate to re-open Highway 1 at Alder Creek in the timeliest manner possible.

· Provide Caltrans with the resources to do so.

· Emphasize that the current socio-economic costs to the community associated with the highway closures have been enormous and that each and every day that the highway is closed to the south adds to that cumulative cost. My best estimate for Big Sur alone, much less the Monterey Peninsula and San Luis Obispo communities, is that a south coast closure will reduce Highway 1 traffic levels by at least 35-40% of normal.

· Emphasize that the most critical environmental issue is the economic health of the residents, employees, and businesses that depend almost entirely on Highway 1 being accessible to the traveling public and that there are no reliable or suitable alternate routes for the traveling public (Nacimiento-Ferguson has length advisories, is narrow, has multiple hairpin turns, often equivalent to a single lane and requires access across Fort Hunter Liggett, which can often be shut down to meet military training needs).

· Avoid using the term “side casting,” to describe potential impacts of overspill of slide material into Pacific Ocean as this will raise immediate red flags with agencies from an environmental impact on the Marine Sanctuary.

In terms of priority or emphasis, I would recommend contacting US Representative Sam Farr to urge NOAA’s fullest cooperation and support of Caltrans efforts in addition to assistance in identifying and allocating any available federal highway funds for an emergency highway repair. For priority allocation of state resources and support of the mission to re-open the highway, please contact Assemblyman Bill Monning and State Senator Sam Blakeslee (whose district encompasses most if not all of northern San Luis Obispo County as well), and Governor Jerry Brown. Additionally, please contact Supervisor Dave Potter as he can serve as an additional advocate for our community with state and federal officials and agencies.

The contact information for these elected officials is as follows:

US Representative Sam Farr – https://forms.house.gov/farr/webforms/issue_subscribe.html

Assemblyman Bill Monning –
District Address
701 Ocean Street
Room 318-B
Santa Cruz, CA 95060
Phone: (831) 425-1503
Fax: (831) 425-2570

State Senator Sam Blakeslee – http://lcmspubcontact.lc.ca.gov/PublicLCMS/ContactPopup.php?district=SD15&inframe=Y&

Governor Jerry Brown – http://gov.ca.gov/m_contact.php

Monterey County Supervisor Dave Potter –

Monterey Courthouse
1200 Aguajito Rd., Ste. 1
Monterey, CA 93940
district5@co.monterey.ca.us

Thank you very much,

Kirk Gafill
President – Big Sur Chamber of Commerce

General Manager
Nepenthe/Phoenix Corporation
48510 Highway 1
Big Sur, CA 93920

To give you an idea of the size of this monster, and how the work is progressing, I have this photo from MCSO Deputy Jesse Villasenor taken around 11 am this morning. You will note that there is equipment on BOTH ends of this slide working it. Thanks, Jesse.

Also, I had some photos from Ken Cowen from last night’s opening showing that everything went quite smoothly, letting first south bound traffic through first. Unfortunately, only one came through. My connection, not you, Ken.

Additionally, I have a flyer from B-SAGE about their upcoming movie about the National Parks showing at the Grange on Friday, 4/22 at 5:30 at the Grange, which I will have to post tomorrow. It is free, although donations gratefully accepted. Free oak seedlings from Rama Farms will be given out, and popcorn will be available. Watch for the flyer tomorrow.

Okay, so this is not technically a “slide show” – use your imagination. Before we get to photos that Rock Knocker took Thursday (before slide) and Friday (after slide) just a reminder of how it looked Friday morning from Stacey Johnson’s photo from the north, looking south:

Here’s the “other view” from the South, looking North by Michael Handy.

And imagine coming home to TreeBones, and seeing the road block, going around it to find the rocks across the road, sleeping in your car on the south side, awaiting the dawn patrol to clean it up for you, and waking to find this:

Okay, this is what was happening the day before. Rock Knocker called me from Morro Bay to ask what I needed as the road was about to shut down tight. How right he was.

This was on Thursday. All of that is now gone.

WARNING: DO NOT ATTEMPT THIS AT HOME. ROCK KNOCKER IS A TRAINED PROFESSIONAL. HE WAS BOTH A SLIDE TECHNICIAN AND A CERTIFIED CLIMBER FOR YEARS!

8:00 pm – more good news, per Chamber of Commerce, Cal-Trans informed them that Rocky Creek may be open on a one-lane, traffic light controlled 24-hour basis starting Thursday, April 21st.

Starting Saturday, April 16th one lane will open at 5 pm until Sunday morning at 8 am, then each night thereafter from 8 pm until 8 am. No weight restrictions at this time. Yeah!

Since Alder Creek will be closed up to a month, this is really good news. There are SO many things I need from up north that I’ve been holding off on!

 
__________________________________________________________
 
State of California • Department of Transportation
Today’s Date: Friday, April 15, 2011 @ 2:45 pm
District:​5 – Santa Barbara, SLO, Monterey, Santa Cruz and San Benito Counties
Contact:​Susana Z. Cruz (Bilingual) or Colin Jones
Phone:​​(805) 549-3138 or (805) 549-3189
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
***TRAFFIC ADVISORY #30***
 
HIGHWAY 1 CARMEL TO CAMBRIA ROADWAY UPDATE – ROADWAY REMAINS SHUT DOWN AT ALDER CREEK FOR AT LEAST A MONTH; ROCKY CREEK OPENS OVERNIGHT STARTING SATURDAY
 
MONTEREY COUNTY:
 
(1) Geologic instability and more debris falling on Highway 1 at Alder Creek (PM 7) have required the roadway to be closed in both directions for at least a month. Alder Creek is south of Nacimiento-Fergusson Road. Caltrans and the CHP advise against any unnecessary travel. THIS AREA OF HIGHWAY 1 CONTINUES TO BE EXTREMELY UNSTABLE; OUR CREWS AND CONTRACTORS ARE CONTINUALLY MONITORING AND CLEARING THE AREA OF DIRT, MUD AND ROCK FROM DAWN UNTIL DUSK. Opening date will be refined as production becomes known.
 
(2) Highway 1 at Rocky Creek (Post Mile 60.5) will OPEN for all traffic without any weight or length restrictions from 5 pm on Saturday, April 16 through 8 am on Sunday, April 17. Hwy. 1 will then OPEN each night at this location from 8 pm until 8 am the following morning. One-way reversing traffic control will be in effect. This will continue until all temporary repairs at Rocky Creek are finished. Work is scheduled to be completed the first week of May.
 
(3) A new progress update will be provided next Monday, April 18, unless conditions warrant sooner.
 
​    
For more information on Monterey County projects, call the toll-free hotline at (888) 836-0866 or visit http://www.dot.ca.gov/dist05/projects/.  Also, contact the statewide CHIN at (800) 427-7623 for highway traffic updates.
# # #
                               

I got unofficial word of this earlier today from Rock Knocker Alder Creek, MM 7, south of Gorda. There is a big crack up at the top, the pebbles are rolling, and it is only a matter of a short time (tonight? tomorrow?) before it lets go! Extremely unstable per Rock Knocker, the guys who have been up top, and now its OFFICIAL. Nacimiento-Fergusson is the way in and out again for a while – unknown how long. Cal-Trans will reevaluate this tomorrow to see how much movement there is. From yesterday until today, there was a surprising and unexpected amount of movement.

Rumors that it will open tonight are very likely inaccurate, as the closure happened about 4:30 pm, and I’ve been watching this development most of the day.

First, let me dispel the rumors. All is going well and the 4th row of horizontal nails will be completed soon. And if you don’t think they aren’t working just about round the clock trying to get this road open, then take a look at this photo by Ben Grasmuck:

From Kirk Gaffill, president of the Big Sur Chamber of Commerce, comes this report from a meeting between Cal-Trans and community members held today:

“Installation of soil nails is 75% complete and production rates are far
better than originally expected, due to excellent quality of drilling conditions. Fourth and final row/bench of soil nails is being installed as of today.

Weight load and length limit parameters are anticipated to be identified by Friday, April 15, 2011. At this time, if all continues to go well, there is an excellent chance that there will not be either a weight load limit or length limitation specific to this area of Highway 1.

Caltrans will provide a new progress update on Monday, April 18, 2011, at which time a goal date for re-opening Highway 1 should be provided. If all continues to go well, there is a good possibility that the projected re-opening of the north bound lane with signal control will be approximately a week after Monday, April 18, 2011. It must be emphasized that the anticipated re-opening in that time frame will require continued excellent drilling conditions and all else must go well.”

In other words, if Mother Nature has no more tricks up her sleeve, either on the ground or in the skies, then we can anticipate the highway to reopen one lane on or about Monday, April 25, 2011. Absent surprises, of course. ;-]

I admit, I must be one of the most blessed people on this planet. This is what I am seeing tonight out my back door. When the world is in turmoil, wars are being waged, the economy is in the tanks, our road is closed, and we feel isolated, Mother Nature gives us this:

No new updates from Cal-Trans on the road conditions, no new weather reports of significance, and while I see if I can put together a series of links for the Rachael Short benefit last night (I could not attend), I will share more visions from the road from Salinas to Soledad.

Many of you were blessed with the sight of a rainbow yesterday afternoon.

And here is another from the yard, yesterday. I also understand that Nacimiento-Fergusson, which is almost as high as I am at the summit, created challenges for some drivers due to the snow. It is a difficult, and at times dangerous road, so be careful.

It was such a sparkling day, once the sun came out. Cold, but sparkling.