Alder Creek Update, 5/24/11
Cal-Trans sent out this notice yesterday:
Today’s Date: Tuesday, May 24, 2011 @ 11 am
District: 5 – Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, 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 #42***
HIGHWAY 1 CARMEL TO CAMBRIA ROADWAY UPDATE
HIGHWAY 1 REMAINS CLOSED AT ALDER CREEK JUST NORTH OF THE MONTEREY/SLO COUNTY LINE THROUGH MID-JUNE
MONTEREY COUNTY:
Geologic instability and debris falling on Highway 1 at Alder Creek (Post Mile 7.5), 40 miles south of Big Sur, have closed the roadway completely in both directions to all public, including motorized vehicles, pedestrians and cyclists since April 14. THIS SECTION OF HWY. 1 REMAINS EXTREMELY UNSTABLE SO THE CLEAN-UP OPERATION IS PROCEEDING AT A SLOW BUT STEADY PACE 400-500 FEET ABOVE THE ROADWAY. Heavier equipment was brought to the slide over the weekend to accelerate roadwork on removing slide debris. This type of work is very difficult and challenging and safety is always our top priority. The estimated opening date is tentatively scheduled for mid-June.
All Big Sur and coastal businesses remain OPEN to the public. Motorists traveling to Big Sur from the SOUTH can take Hwy. 101 to the Monterey area, proceed west on Hwy. 68 then south on Hwy. 1 to reach Big Sur.
Another update will be provided as conditions warrant.
Alder Creek #1 by Cal-Trans
Alder Creek #2 by Cal-Trans
First, I was out of town, then, I spent two days with Verizon over my internet service, then yesterday, the cell tower was down, and today service is intermittent. One never realizes how reliant one is on the internet and the cell phone, until it is missing. Hoping for improvement!
WEATHER: Around 2:30 the first drizzles were here on the South Coast. I woke up, and looked around, and could not believe it was going to rain today, but by mid-afternoon, it had clouded up, and now, at 4 pm, it is a nice steady rain. What is this?? I do remember that it rained on graduation at Pacific Valley, one year. Can’t remember which year that was, though. This isn’t going to help with the Alder Creek clean-up.
I still vote for treating it like a mine and tunneling. You can probably buy a pre-fab tunnel on eBay. Okay, I’m not conversant with the construction details but I sure am eager to see it clear.
Good luck on all the mechanical wizardry, Kate. Sounds like progress.
Maybe it’s just the photos, but this looks really unsafe to me! Their working area is very narrow. Thanks for the update and photos.
I am from Tennessee and have had the wonderful opportunity to ride the “Big Sur” the last two years. I hate that the slide has blocked the road and I have to agree with “dave z” that based on the pictures, the work looks extremely dangerous. Our ride down SR-1 this year will be on July 5. Hopefully the road will be open- if not – we will go around. Thanks for the updates and pictures.