Pacific Coast Highway Collapses near Big Sur

[Southwest Dave]

Oh boy ! When it rains it pours as they say. Not too serious hopefully, as they plan to have it re-opened within hours. [Fingers crossed]

[glc]

Not looking too good now............

[glc]

The Limekiln slide has been cleared, but now there's another slide closing the road 2 miles south of Gorda. This has left about 50 miles of highway only accessible by the Nacimiento-Fergusson road or helicopter. The new slide should be cleared in a few days.

[glc]

The Gorda slide area is now open from 7am to 7pm. At the collapse north of Big Sur, they are escorting pedestrians and bicycles across at 7am and 4pm.

Up north, US-101 is closed by a slide north of Garberville. Caltrans is hoping to open it to daytime one-way traffic with 1 hour delays sometime Monday. Apparently the slide is 200 yards wide and it has buckled the pavement. There is no good alternate for this one other than I-5, the mountain roads in the area are unpaved, covered with snow, and have their own slides to deal with.

[Southwest Dave]

One lane to be open with traffic control with possible size/weight restrictions, but not until the end of April !

Vertical nail installation for the roadbed retaining wall is 70% done and should be fully complete by the end of tomorrow, March 31. Horizontal nails will then be installed. This site is an active construction zone and the slope remains unstable so the roadway is unsafe for public access. Inclement weather and geologic instability continue to be a factor in roadwork progress.

ˇCHP is on site at both slides to secure the area and ensure public safety.

ˇCommunity officials continue coordinating with Caltrans and CHP to provide limited helicopter shuttle service from Rocky Point restaurant to Little Sur River Bridge which began Monday @ 10 am.

ˇNext goal will be to provide convoyed vehicle access across the northbound lane, but no ETA is available at this time.

ˇIt is anticipated that there may be a 5-ton restriction for all vehicles, once the northbound lane is re-opened to vehicle traffic. This is critical for all businesses to be aware of since it may preclude many motor homes, passenger buses and most delivery trucks from using this part of the highway. There may be additional vehicle length and trailer restrictions as well, pending further analysis by Caltrans traffic engineers.

ˇCompletion time for providing vehicle access with signal light control on the northbound lane is now estimated to be at the end of April.

[glc]

I can add to that - it looks like the single lane with 5 ton limit may be in effect for about a YEAR according to a local Big Sur blog. That sounds to me like they may have to reroute the whole highway around the slip area.

[Mark Sedenquist]

I'm really familiar with that slide area... Re-routing the highway would be a nearly impossible task -- even in a period of economic prosperity and in these days.... that cost is mind-boggling....

Mark

[glc]

http://www.contracostatimes.com/cali...nclick_check=1

The N-F Road is the only way in and out of Big Sur again.

[Mark Sedenquist]

That must really be tough on the local merchants!

Mark

[glc]

http://slo.edhat.com/site/tidbit.cfm?nid=53239

Source: Caltrans

(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.

Alder Creek slide:

http://media.nbcbayarea.com/images/6...-1+Debris+.jpg