Tag: Highway One

Partington Ridge Slide Photo from up top

Photo by Sula Nichols of Partington Ridge

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What a photo! What a challenge! What a mess! These are the same people who lost houses in the Basin Fire of 2008. They are a tough group. Thanks for sharing your world, Sula.

On another note, repairing this road will be an expensive and private affair. It has been suggested that the road association might want to set up a fund that people could donate to. Carmel Pine Cone indicates it will be 1/2 million dollars to fix. Ouch! I will keep you posted if I learn more.

Defective signals at Bixby Bridge?

Well, that makes no sense, as there are no signals at Bixby Bridge, so I am assuming … Rightly or wrongly .. That the CHP website means Rocky Creek. Are they again? Or did someone run the light, or someone fail to trigger the sensor? Only the Shadow knows …

Details 00556 5:03 PM Defective Traffic Signals Sr1 / Bixby Brdg 36.372222 -121.902500 Monterey

While CalTrans says the road is open this weekend, Mother Nature may have other plans

Here it comes, here it comes …

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NOAA is expecting most of this to remain off shore, which would help keep the road open.

An inch of snow is is expected on my mountain tonight, most of you will just get rain. Rainfall is expected to be rather light, around .25-.50 of an inch, but up to an inch in coastal mountains. Temps are dropping rapidly after sunset, and I may sleep through the snow. Darn, I left my camera in the car, again! If worth reporting in the morning, my iPad has a camera and I will take a photo or two.

It may be that we luck out and rainfall will not be significant enough to cause troubles on the highway. BTW, went south today, and while I see a couple potential trouble spots – Mud Creek is moving and Alder Creek is oozing under the netting put up to protect the road, all-in-all, it is looking good. Maybe we are getting it all over with early in the slip and slide season? One can only hope, as March is typically our worse month.

Huge backup NB highway one

Incident: 00512 Type: Defective Traffic Signals Location: Sr1 N / Rocky Creek TBM/LatLon: 36.378889 -121.902500
Detail Information
6:07 PM 6 [10] 1039 MONT COM / FOR SO UNIT TO ASSIST
6:06 PM 5 [8] B27-022 22B VIA LL NO CALTRANS NEEDS ASSIST WITH 1184, TRAFFIC IS REALLY BACKED UP
6:00 PM 4 [7] B27-022 MORE TRAFFIC HEADING NB THAN SB
6:00 PM 3 [6] B27-022 LIGHTS FUNCTIONING PROPERLY TRAFFIC BACKED UP
5:15 PM 2 [2] RP THINKS DUE TO THE TEMPORARY SIGNAL AT ROCKY CREEK BRIDGE
5:15 PM 1 [1] TRAFFIC BACKED UP TO LITTLE SUR RIVER
Unit Information
5:24 PM 2 Unit Assigned
6:00 PM 1 Unit At Scen

Partington Slide Update – highway open

Today’s Date: Thursday, December 27, 2012 at 4:45 pm
District:05 – Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, Monterey, San Benito and Santa Cruz Counties
Contact: Susana Z Cruz (bilingual) or Colin Jones
Phone: (805) 549-3138 or 549-3189
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

*Update #4*
HIGHWAY 1 SOUTH OF BIG SUR IS NOW OPEN TO UNRESTRICTED TRAFFIC TONIGHT AT PARTINGTON RIDGE ROAD; ONE-WAY TRAFFIC CONTROLS TOMORROW, DEC. 28

MONTEREY COUNTY – Highway 1 is open to unrestricted, two-way traffic tonight a few miles south of Big Sur where a major rock slide that occurred on Sunday afternoon, Dec. 23, Caltrans District 5 has announced.

Caltrans has mobilized an emergency contractor to assist state crews and clear the large debris field, repair a 60-foot section of the damaged roadway and stabilize the slide area above Highway 1 at Partington Ridge Road.

As a result, crews opened the roadway at 4 pm this afternoon. At 7 am tomorrow, Friday, Dec. 28, one-way traffic controls with flaggers will be in effect through the slide area, which remains a very active repair/cleanup zone. Motorists can expect 20 minute delays during this time.

Highway 1 will remain open 24/7 for the weekend beginning tomorrow night at 5 pm for motorists and cyclists, who are advised to use caution when traveling through this roadway section. There is some rough pavement and loose gravel still on the highway near the slide area.

The highway had been shut down just south of Deetjens Big Sur Inn (Mile Marker 42) and at Lucia (Mile Marker 23) since Sunday afternoon. Our contractor and crews will resume roadwork on Monday then again on Wednesday after New Year’s Day from dawn until dusk until final repairs are made.

2d Partington Slide, 12/26/12

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These first two photos are CalTrans photos, this is what it looked like BEFORE RK got there. the next six are by Rock Knocker, and you can see the “after” of the first CT photo is number 6 in RK’s. (okay, CT photos not loading right away, so be back in a bit.)

This gives you an idea of what is going on …

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This shows what is on the verge on coming down, and helps to show why CT needs to keep this closed while they figure out how to deal with this.

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It takes a village to keep THIS ROAD open … And geologists, and engineers, and heavy equipment operators, and machines!

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All Photos by Rock Knocker

12/26/12 Road and Weather Conditions Updates

11 am – from our local CHP (in comments below):

“Hi Kate, This slide is at Partington Ridge Road. They don’t have an estimated time to open the road, they’ll know more in a few hours. NO ONE IS BEING ALLOWED THROUGH RIGHT NOW. NO ONE! They are putting equipment in place to get started.

Ben”
9:30 am – all local stations reporting Highway One closed, with no ETA for opening.

8:30 – that blue skies didn’t last long, up here, anyway.

7:30 am – blue skies – great news for CT. NWS continues scattered shower activity over most of the region.

Detail Information
6:51 AM 4 [10] 1039 ETAC OFCR CROSSON
6:45 AM 3 [7] SIG ALERT SENT
6:36 AM 2 [4] THERE IS NO ETA FOR OPENING AT THIS TIME
6:35 AM 1 [1] **HWY 1 IS CLOSED **

Unknown at this time whether this is the Partington Slide, or another, as Partington wasn’t being reported by CHP yesterday afternoon and evening. It is listed as 23 mm 1, which would be Lucia.

There were periods of extremely heavy rainfall here last night, beginning around six pm, so this could be anywhere. My rain gauge is showing just under an inch. Will update as I obtain more information.

Road Condions and Weather in Big Sur on Christmas Day

I am getting private requests for road conditions in Big Sur, so I decided I’d better post. While the CHP website does not have the closure listed anymore, I have experienced in the past that they often take continuous closures off their website. I do not know if it is open or closed, but CalTrans continues to report it closed on their website. ” I IS CLOSED FROM LUCIA TO FULLERS POINT /IN BIG SUR/ (MONTEREY CO) 3- DUE TO A ROCK SLIDE – MOTORISTS ARE ADVISED TO USE AN ALTERNATE ROUTE BIG SUR AREA BUSINESSES ARE OPEN.” I do know the road closed signs were still up today, and some people went through anyway. I also imagine that in the dark, and the pounding rain I have had tonight, it could turn into a nightmare. I do have a photo taken today, but writing for permission to use it. Once given, it will be posted at the bottom of this post.

I do know that the area can be dangerous, as many parts of this highway during the winter can be and I would be hesitant to advise family or friends to take that route, unless they were familiar with the dangers – I would feel very responsible if something were to happen to them. Additionally, more rain is expected tonight and tomorrow, and conditions could become treacherous at a moments notice. This is what is coming.

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Whatever your personal decision is about traveling this road, i hope you opt for safety over expediency, and always stay aware. A tiny falling of pebbles could be your warning that a slide is imminent. Keep this Holiday safe for you and your loved ones.

Photo by Wally and Nola Barnick, of Coast Outfitters, next to Fernwood.
Photo by Wally and Nola Barnick, of Coast Outfitters, next to Fernwood.

Another mudslide

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It is cleared. Photo. Y Debbie Reed

9:30 am – another slide, this one near River Inn. Only blocking 1/2 a lane, so not closing road. Should be able to get clear in no time, but considering that we have more rain on the way for the next two days, could be a precursor of things to come. Please be safe out there!

Partington Slide photos

The following four photos were sent to me by Partington Ridge resident Jim Merz. Excellent photos, and clearly show the instability, and the massive nature of the slide.

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The following two photos are provided by Mike Gilson, and show Highway One level damage.

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And here is one from Magnus Toren that shows what none of the others show – the top of the slide, which demonstrates, as Rock Knocker says, “It ain’t done, yet!”

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And from North Coast CT crew, Brandie Kirby, another couple:

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And finally, one last photo from Greg DeAlba, Supervisor, Willow Springs Maintenance Station:

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