MARATHON DAY CONVOYS: On Sunday morning, April 28, the start time of the morning convoy at Rocky Creek will be moved up from 7 am to 4 am. This early morning convoy will allow vehicles to pass through from 4 am to 4:45 am. All vehicles must travel north of Rio Road or south of Rocky Creek by 5 am when the race closure goes into effect.
Convoys on Highway 1 through Rocky Creek will return to their regular schedule starting Sunday April 28 at 5 pm.
Links for phone users who can’t see the links to the right without scrolling through two years of posts. I’ll start with just a few, but if you have others you wish to see here, let me know.
IMPORTANT, READ THIS POST FIRST FOR INFORMATION ABOUT VISITING BIG SUR!! HIGHWAY ONE IS CLOSED FROM LIMEKILN STATE PARK (ALSO CLOSED DUE TO STORM DAMAGE) TO LUCIA, A TWO MILE STRETCH DUE TO STORM DAMAGE AT PAUL’S SLIDE.
**NACIMIENTO-FERGUSSON ROAD, SOUTH COAST RIDGE ROAD, PLASKETT RIDGE ROAD, LOS BURROS ROAD ARE ALL CLOSED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE. THIS IS DUE TO SEVERE ROAD AND TRAIL DAMAGE**
Interactive Highway Map with Mile Markers and slide names is to the right, under “Pages” first one *Big Sur Interactive Maps... if the following link doesn’t work. *Big Sur Interactive Slide Maps will answer any questions you may have about where something is in relation to something else.
The County of Monterey Housing and Community Development Department staff invites you to attend a collaborative Community Meeting to review the Rural Community Center Zoning District and discuss how to best expand opportunities for affordable and employee housing for the Big Sur community as a part of the BSLUP update (REF: 210024).
Why is this meeting not available on Zoom given that Big Sur and interested citizens are cut off from the meeting location unless they get in line at 7 am? Other members of the Big Sur Community are cut off by 3 landslides to the south that would require a 5 hour one-way trip to Monterey? Why no zoom option?
Why is the meeting at the State Parks since it does not involved the State Parks nor any of their employees but only Caltrans employees from a few doors down?
Why is Janet Hardisty the only public non-employee member of the working group?
Why is the working group composed of five Caltrans employees, one county employee, and one member of the public? (I stand corrected. Two of these people are outside engineers, not members of the CT team.)
Why was this notice only sent out 48 hours in advance, given all the logistical issues of attendance for any parties interested?
COUNTY OF MONTEREY GARRAPATA CREEK BRIDGE RAIL REPLACEMENT PROJECT WORKING GROUP Friday, April 26, 2024, 10:45 a.m. Large Conference Room State Parks Monterey District Office 2211 Garden Road, Monterey, CA 93940 SPECIAL MEETING REVISED AGENDA NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that County of Monterey, State of California Garrapata Creek Bridge Rail Replacement Project Working Group will hold a public meeting to review and provide input to the Board of Supervisors on the Garrapata Creek Bridge Rail Replacement project (PLN220090). The meeting will be held on Friday, April 26, 2024 at the hour of 10:45 a.m. CALL TO ORDER AND MEETING PROCEDURES ROLL CALL Janet Hardisty (Big Sur Resident Representative) Peter Hendrix (Caltrans, Traffic Division Chief) Gary Knott (Structural Engineer) Kristen Langager (Caltrans, Landscape Architect) Stephen Lyon (Project Manager in construction) Kim Mori (Caltrans, Division of Engineering Servies) Craig Spencer (Housing and Community Development Director) PUBLIC COMMENT The working group will receive public comment on non-agenda items within the purview of the group. The Chair may limit the length of individual presentations. AGENDA ADDITIONS, DELETIONS AND CORRECTIONS The working group clerk will announce agenda corrections, deletions and proposed additions, which may be acted on by the working group as provided in Sections 54954.2 of the California Government Code. DISCUSSION
The working group will discuss the Garrapata Creek Bridge Rail Replacement Project. Project File: PLN220090 – Caltrans (Garrapata Creek Bridge Rail Replacement Project) Project Location: Garrapata Creek Bridge near post mile 63.0 on HWY 1 Planning Area: Big Sur Coast Land Use Plan, Coastal Zone Project Description: Combined Development Permit consisting of: a. A Coastal Development Permit and Design Approval to allow the replacement of the bridge rails on the historic Garrapata Creek Bridge; b. A Coastal Development Permit to allow development within the Critical Viewshed; c. A Coastal Development Permit to allow development within 750 feet of known archaeological resources; and d. A Coastal Development Permit to allow development within 100 feet of environmentally sensitive habitat. Recommendation to: Board of Supervisors Planner: Phil Angelo, Associate Planner ADJOURNMENT For additional information, or if you are unable to attend the meeting, please contact Phil Angelo at (831) 784-5731. Note that the Garrapata Creek Bridge Rail Replacement Project (PLN220090) is schedule to return to the Board of Supervisors for consideration on May 7, 2024. If requested, the agenda shall be made available in appropriate alternative formats to persons with a disability, as required by Section 202 of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 USC Sec. 12132) and the federal rules and regulations adopted in implementation thereof. For information regarding how, to whom and when a person with a disability who requires a modification or accommodation in order to participate in the public meeting may make a request for disability-related modification or accommodation including auxiliary aids or services or if you have any questions about any of the items listed on this agenda, please call the Monterey County Housing and Community Development at (831) 755-5025. ADDENDUM: Working Group Members were included in the ‘Roll Call’ section of the agenda on April 24,
UPDATE #14 (4/23/2024) SPECIAL EARLY MORNING CONVOY SCHEDULE AT ROCKY CREEK SUNDAY APRIL 28 FOR BIG SUR MARATHON
MONTEREY COUNTY- Weather permitting, daily convoys on Highway 1 through the Rocky Creek slip out will continue on a schedule of 7 am and 5 pm, through Saturday April 27.
The day of the Big Sur Marathon, Sunday April 28, Highway 1 will be closed between the Rocky Creek Bridge and Rio Road in Carmel from 5 am to 1 pm, to allow race participants to safely run the modified marathon course.
On Sunday morning, April 28, the start time of the morning convoy at Rocky Creek will be moved up from 7 am to 4 am. This early morning convoy will allow vehicles to pass through from 4 am to 4:45 am. All vehicles must travel north of Rio Road or south of Rocky Creek by 5 am when the race closure goes into effect.
Convoys on Highway 1 through Rocky Creek will return to their regular schedule starting Sunday April 28 at 5 pm.
Crews continue to make progress with edge stabilization efforts at the Highway 1 Rocky Creek slip out with an estimated date for completion of this work still scheduled for May 27. This would mark the end of the current convoys and allow alternating one-way travel through the area without an escort using 24/7signalized traffic control.
Road information and updates can also be found on Caltrans District 5 Social Media platforms: Twitter at: @CaltransD5, Facebook at: Caltrans Central Coast (District 5) and Instagram at: Caltrans_D5.
Swiping for details might work on the County website, but will bring nothing on this one. All the pertinent information should be visible in these two jpg files.
Sorry we can’t invite the whole world….this notice is for all Big Sur locals who are currently enclosed between Rocky Creek road closure and Dolan Slide.
ROCKY CREEK REPAIRS CONTINUE WITH HORIZONTAL SUPPORT DRILLING AND ADDITION OF OVERNIGHT SHIFTS
MONTEREY COUNTY– Crews continue to make progress with edge stabilization work at the Highway 1 Rocky Creek slip out.
This first phase of the stabilization effort involves drilling, installing, and grouting in steel elements to stabilize the edge of the slip out. Last week crews completed installation of the vertical rock dowels. This week crews drilled anchor supports for deployment of a crane which is now in place and will allow crews to begin the installation of the horizontal rock dowels. This will be followed by an application of shotcrete to the sheer face of the rock slope.
The horizontal dowels will be installed in 5 rows and after each row is complete, the face of the rock slope will be treated with reinforcing shotcrete. There is a 12-hour cure time before crews can begin drilling work on the next horizontal row.
The rock dowels provide shear resistance along potential failure planes in the rock mass, the grout provides cementation and connection of the dowels to the rock mass, and the shotcrete facing distributes load to the dowels and protects the rock slope from wind and rain erosion.
Crews have installed a light tower on an outcropping above and adjacent to the slip out and crews performing drilling for the horizontal rock dowels will work their first overnight shift tonight. The plan going forward is for crews to work two 12-hour shifts per day.
This stabilization project is a temporary repair which will allow the resumption of unrestricted traffic flow through the area until a permanent fix can be designed and constructed that would restore the southbound lanes that were lost in the rockslide.
Caltrans recently estimated that the completion date for the initial stabilization work at the Rocky Creek slip out would be Memorial Day, May 27. This would mark the end of the current convoys and allow alternating one-way travel through the area without an escort using 24/7 signalized traffic control.
The current convoys are operated at 7 am and 5 pm and are intended for the use of local residents and essential workers only. Limiting the volume of vehicles through the repair site is one strategy which is helping manage the risks associated with conditions at the rockslide and with emergency response.
Road information and updates can also be found on Caltrans District 5 Social Media platforms: Twitter at: @CaltransD5, Facebook at: Caltrans Central Coast (District 5) and Instagram at: Caltrans_D5.
Big Sur Fire Hosts Community Open House at Station 1
Celebrating 50 Years of Emergency Services in Big Sur
Big Sur, CA – Big Sur Fire (BSF) announces a Community Open House celebrating its 50thAnniversary on Saturday, May 4, 2024 from 1pm – 4pm at Big Sur Fire Station #1 located at Post Ranch (47900 Highway 1). Please join us if you are on the south side of the Rocky Creek closure for a fun, family friendly afternoon with your Big Sur firefighters.
Big Sur Fire was formed in 1974 to provide structure fire protection for the residents and businesses in the Big Sur area. BSF is now the primary emergency response organization in Big Sur responding to all calls for 911 including structure and wildland fires, technical rescues and emergency medical aids for the Big Sur community and its millions of annual visitors. BSF remains an all-volunteer company with about 25 members, covering nearly 60 miles of coastline along Highway One.
May 4th also marks the celebration of International Firefighters’ Day – a time where the world recognizes and honors the sacrifices that firefighters make to ensure their communities are as safe. There will be a short program honoring all current and former Big Sur Volunteer Fire Brigade (original name) members for their incredible contributions of time and energy.
The day will include photos with firefighters and our fire apparatus; demonstrations of tools and equipment; and lots of good food featuring pizzas by our very own Pizza Paul and music by Wayward Jerry and his crew.
“We are so fortunate to have such unwavering support from our community, especially during this difficult time that is truly affecting everyone” Fire Chief Matt Harris said. “We look forward to seeing you and celebrating 50 incredible years of service together.”
Park and Shuttle will be at Post Ranch Inn.
The mission of the Big Sur Fire is to provide dependable fire protection and emergency services to all of Big Sur with a spirit of teamwork, respect and integrity.
The County of Monterey Housing and Community Development Department staff invites you to attend a collaborative Community Meeting to review the Rural Community Center Zoning District and discuss how to best expand opportunities for affordable and employee housing for the Big Sur community as a part of the BSLUP update (REF: 210024).
This meeting will be taking place through Zoom on Monday, April 29, 2024 5 p.m. – 8 p.m.
Elizabeth VasquezSenior Secretary (WOC)Housing and Community Development1441 Schilling Place, South Bldg. 2nd Floor,Salinas, CA 93901Office: (831)755-5025 Desk: (831) 784-5737Fax: (831) 757-9516VasquezE4@co.monterey.ca.us
