http://www.mercurynews.com/2017/03/10/battered-by-winter-storms-big-sur-is-cut-off-from-california/ (http://www.mercurynews.com/2017/03/10/battered-by-winter-storms-big-sur-is-cut-off-from-california/)
It's a shame CalTrans and the parks agency are acting as impediments rather than working to restore connectivity... I'd say borderline criminal! People's lives are being negatively affected (should a fire break out, people could DIE that otherwise wouldn't have), and all they care about are their policies and procedures. Dump the bureaucracy and get some form of connection put in place until permanent repairs can be made!
Really this is getting a lot of notoriety because it is Big Sur and CA 1. Really fixing slides of this magnitude haven't been high up on the Caltrans priority list with some infamous examples of; 39, 173, and 140 all coming to mind. Really 140 was probably the closest in nature and scope to this incident with the Fergusson slide. 140 still hasn't been repaired after all these years but at least there is temporary bridge work that has been in place for a long time. I guess living in a famous place definitely attracts media attention to your plight, things should be a little better once Nacimiento-Furgusson and CA 1 to Camrbia reopen completely.
From what I've heard on the local TV news this weekend, the FUBAR'd Pfeiffer Creek bridge on CA 1 is slated for demolition in the next couple of days. As of yet, no word on when and if a temporary bridge will be installed in its place.
Quote from: vdeane on March 12, 2017, 05:08:26 PM
It's a shame CalTrans and the parks agency are acting as impediments rather than working to restore connectivity... I'd say borderline criminal! People's lives are being negatively affected (should a fire break out, people could DIE that otherwise wouldn't have), and all they care about are their policies and procedures. Dump the bureaucracy and get some form of connection put in place until permanent repairs can be made!
I suspect, there is only that much that can be done. Looking at the pictures, bridge basically broken in halves.. So this is about demolition and rebuild.
And three problems on a single through road is probably more than assumed by contingency plans..
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mercurynews.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2017%2F03%2Fsjm-bigsur-0310-90.jpg&hash=ed7e7074381647dd93dd8d579002aca066d71534)
The article mentioned that the people living there were planning to create a temporary path. The state threatened to arrest anyone who tried to build such a path.
Quote from: vdeane on March 13, 2017, 01:59:34 PM
The article mentioned that the people living there were planning to create a temporary path. The state threatened to arrest anyone who tried to build such a path.
Did we read the same article?
QuoteStarting Friday, a steep and narrow half-mile footpath – for residents only – will open for 15 minutes at a time, three times a day, linking both sides of Big Sur's divide.
Besides, there may be some confusion - I can see same topic discussed 2-3 weeks ago in CA thread with same bridge photos:
https://www.aaroads.com/forum/index.php?topic=18416.275
And there is a link in that other thread:
http://www.montereycountyweekly.com/blogs/news_blog/construction-to-begin-on-nacimiento-fergusson-road-re-opening-access/article_392fb784-fae6-11e6-826a-0f323a4dc806.html
QuoteFor a few hours a day starting Monday, Big Sur will no longer be an island.
The U.S. Forest Service announced plans to begin construction with limited access for through-traffic on Nacimiento-Fergusson Road starting Monday, Feb. 27.
Please note the date. Monterey county weekly seem a more local newspaper than SJ based mercury, whatever that worth
and another update from local newspaper:
http://www.montereycountyweekly.com/blogs/news_blog/weekly-roundup-island-no-more-cemex-a-landmark-land-deal/article_d069f5f4-0696-11e7-a715-f7d6bb91f6d4.html
QuoteOn Friday, March 10, Caltrans got a lane clear at Paul's Slide to allow for much-needed deliveries of propane, as well as other deliveries. Locals with I.D. now have 24/7 access on Highway 1 from Ragged Point to the Big Sur Deli, meaning the days of the Big Sur "island" are over. Resupply deliveries with heavy trucks, etc., will still be limited; the next resupply opportunity is March 13 at 10am.
And a separate piece:
QuoteCaltrans is set to demolish the sagging Pfeiffer Canyon Bridge on March 13, a process that, according to a Caltrans statement, "may take several hours."
Quote from: vdeane on March 13, 2017, 01:59:34 PM
The article mentioned that the people living there were planning to create a temporary path. The state threatened to arrest anyone who tried to build such a path.
There really needs to be a graded "good" gravel/dirt roads up in those hills just for that purpose. Nacimiento-Furgusson kind of meets that purpose as a paved road, but even that was messed up in all those storms. Looks like there is more rain on the way early next week on the preliminary forecast. Coast Ridge Road is about the only thing I know of in the area and that certainly anything that could be considered an escape route, I believe it is a dead end in fact.
Quote from: kalvado on March 13, 2017, 02:48:57 PM
Quote from: vdeane on March 13, 2017, 01:59:34 PM
The article mentioned that the people living there were planning to create a temporary path. The state threatened to arrest anyone who tried to build such a path.
Did we read the same article?
I checked again and it's actually in a comment posted by this person calling themselves FireMan. Even so, if the residents can build a better path than CalTrans, why not let them? And why limit the path that did get built so much? They should be doing whatever is necessary to get normal life to resume there as quickly as possible. I know if I had such restrictions placed on me, I'd go mad.
Quote
State Parks authorities are slow dragging on replacement. Worse the footpath they are finally beginning to build will not allow kids trapped on the other side to attend school to the north. This is a clear case of engineers and lawyers getting in the way of common sense.
There is private property to the west of the bridge that could allow trucks to bring supplies to the stranded south dweller. However those property owners seem unwilling to step up.
Quote
You missed the point. Chill is easy when it does not involve you or your friends. The point is state engineers and lawyers for Cal Trans and the State Parks showed little to no respect to locals that have needs and sound ideas for helping themselves. One thing you can say about Big Sur coast residents is they know how to take care of their own. State Park threatening arrest of people trying to make a path around the bridge was heavy handed and speaks to lack of understanding of the community.
It's The Bridge That Will Not Die!!! Caltrans' contractor started the process of breaking up the Pfeiffer Canyon bridge today, but dropping a 3-ton wrecking ball on the bridge deck apparently didn't faze it at all! They're going to try again tomorrow; no word if the methodology will change (it looks like the terrain isn't too conducive to setting up a sideways swipe of said wrecking ball). Stay tuned -- this whole situation is pretty fluid! At least we've got a break in the weather (it got to 81 degrees in San Jose today), so the crews won't have that with which to contend -- at least for a few days.
Quote from: vdeane on March 13, 2017, 11:42:37 PM
Quote from: kalvado on March 13, 2017, 02:48:57 PM
Quote from: vdeane on March 13, 2017, 01:59:34 PM
The article mentioned that the people living there were planning to create a temporary path. The state threatened to arrest anyone who tried to build such a path.
Did we read the same article?
I checked again and it's actually in a comment posted by this person calling themselves FireMan. Even so, if the residents can build a better path than CalTrans, why not let them? And why limit the path that did get built so much? They should be doing whatever is necessary to get normal life to resume there as quickly as possible. I know if I had such restrictions placed on me, I'd go mad.
Quote
State Parks authorities are slow dragging on replacement. Worse the footpath they are finally beginning to build will not allow kids trapped on the other side to attend school to the north. This is a clear case of engineers and lawyers getting in the way of common sense.
There is private property to the west of the bridge that could allow trucks to bring supplies to the stranded south dweller. However those property owners seem unwilling to step up.
Quote
You missed the point. Chill is easy when it does not involve you or your friends. The point is state engineers and lawyers for Cal Trans and the State Parks showed little to no respect to locals that have needs and sound ideas for helping themselves. One thing you can say about Big Sur coast residents is they know how to take care of their own. State Park threatening arrest of people trying to make a path around the bridge was heavy handed and speaks to lack of understanding of the community.
Well, probably truth is somewhere in between. There is horrible word "liability", and that limits what can and cannot be done. There is no life-threatening emergency, so I don't see authorities disregarding private property rights or excessive risks. Terrain looks challenging enough, and they say bedrock is not close to the surface... FOr me that is enough to think twice about any structure. And I really doubt that foot bridge built within a day would be safe enough...
I am not sure if evacuation would be a good idea. Probably not, but having it as an option for residents - especially to let kids attend the school - maybe a good idea.
Big Sur is a very small town, especially in the off season, and slides closing Highway 1 happen every few years. They'll open it again eventually. Able-bodied people could hike down to the beach, along it for a ways, and then up to the highway again.
Quote from: kkt on March 14, 2017, 07:43:47 PM
Big Sur is a very small town, especially in the off season, and slides closing Highway 1 happen every few years. They'll open it again eventually. Able-bodied people could hike down to the beach, along it for a ways, and then up to the highway again.
I guess that's kind of what I think too. Yes it sucks that CA 1 is all jacked up and access isn't easy. But do you not move to a place like Big Sur and not anticipate that something like this might and likely WILL happen sooner or later? When I lived in the Keys this was a reality for me on US 1, comes with the territory...albeit somewhat literally in this case.
The Los Angeles Times reports:
http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-big-sur-slide-20170522-story.html
QuoteA massive new landslide along California's iconic coastal Highway 1 has buried the road under a 40-foot layer of rock and dirt, the latest hit in a winter of crippling slides and flooding.
A swath of the hillside gave way in an area called Mud Creek on Saturday night, covering about one-third of a mile of road and changing the Big Sur coastline below, Colin Jones, a spokesman with the California Department of Transportation, said Monday.
"A massive slide. We've never seen anything like that," Jones said.
Photo from Caltrans:
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sanluisobispo.com%2Fnews%2Flocal%2Ftskaf8%2Fpicture151838407%2Falternates%2FFREE_1140%2Fmud%2520creek&hash=bb66df57c7fe83c669a90a390a41cd3425040df3)
Oh jeez!! That's a big one!
Quote from: Kniwt on May 23, 2017, 08:34:31 AM
The Los Angeles Times reports:
http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-big-sur-slide-20170522-story.html
QuoteA massive new landslide along California's iconic coastal Highway 1 has buried the road under a 40-foot layer of rock and dirt, the latest hit in a winter of crippling slides and flooding.
A swath of the hillside gave way in an area called Mud Creek on Saturday night, covering about one-third of a mile of road and changing the Big Sur coastline below, Colin Jones, a spokesman with the California Department of Transportation, said Monday.
"A massive slide. We've never seen anything like that," Jones said.
Photo from Caltrans:
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sanluisobispo.com%2Fnews%2Flocal%2Ftskaf8%2Fpicture151838407%2Falternates%2FFREE_1140%2Fmud%2520creek&hash=bb66df57c7fe83c669a90a390a41cd3425040df3)
It's big, but "never seen anything like it" is a bit of an exaggeration.
So much for me getting out there this summer it looks now.
Quote from: kkt on May 23, 2017, 03:47:45 PM
Quote from: Kniwt on May 23, 2017, 08:34:31 AM
The Los Angeles Times reports:
http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-big-sur-slide-20170522-story.html
QuoteA massive new landslide along California's iconic coastal Highway 1 has buried the road under a 40-foot layer of rock and dirt, the latest hit in a winter of crippling slides and flooding.
A swath of the hillside gave way in an area called Mud Creek on Saturday night, covering about one-third of a mile of road and changing the Big Sur coastline below, Colin Jones, a spokesman with the California Department of Transportation, said Monday.
"A massive slide. We've never seen anything like that," Jones said.
Photo from Caltrans:
(https://www.aaroads.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sanluisobispo.com%2Fnews%2Flocal%2Ftskaf8%2Fpicture151838407%2Falternates%2FFREE_1140%2Fmud%2520creek&hash=bb66df57c7fe83c669a90a390a41cd3425040df3)
It's big, but "never seen anything like it" is a bit of an exaggeration.
Quote from: Max Rockatansky on May 23, 2017, 03:52:49 PM
So much for me getting out there this summer it looks now.
Maybe they'll airlift what's left of Bertha out there to drill through the mess! But, seriously, they'll probably wait until the mass is somewhat stabilized and re-carve the ledge through the slide area, complete with retaining walls and sensor fences. Regardless, this'll be a long-haul slog!
Too late for Bertha, she's already in pieces.
Well this sucks. I was in initial planning for a Seaside, OR to LA road trip this summer. Was going to hit this section of CA-1. Maybe we'll go back to one of our earlier plans and road trip up to BC and Alberta instead, and visit CA next year. Or maybe we won't be able to afford either trip and it won't matter sigh.
I grew up in the LA area and almost once a year when I was a kid we would frequently do a trip towards N Cal. I never got a chance to see this stretch of CA-1 because the year that we were going to go the coastal route (to tour Hearst Castle, Monterrey, and other attractions) there was some fire in Big Sur that closed CA-1 and we had to backtrack to US 101.
I hope they can figure some way to get the highway back to driving. The detour is huge.
There was an article in the Arizona Republic about it. That's going to take a long time to repair. The rains from last winter were so heavy that the ground is going to take quite a while to stabilize, or at least stabilize by California standards, thanks to the earthquakes.
Quote from: hm insulators on May 24, 2017, 01:06:52 PM
There was an article in the Arizona Republic about it. That's going to take a long time to repair. The rains from last winter were so heavy that the ground is going to take quite a while to stabilize, or at least stabilize by California standards, thanks to the earthquakes.
So far it doesn't look like Caltrans agrees with that assessment, the QuickMap has June 30th right now for reopening:
http://quickmap.dot.ca.gov/
Which I doubt won't go into July... But I'd say there is a pretty solid change about the slide being cleared long before Pfeiffer Canyon is bridged again.
This fix isn't going to be easy. Compare the map in this article http://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/article/Landslide-leaves-engineers-to-ponder-options-for-11174654.php with this map https://www.google.com/maps/place/35%C2%B051'53.2%22N+121%C2%B025'51.1%22W/@35.864772,-121.4330398,979m/data=!3m2!1e3!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x0:0x0!8m2!3d35.864772!4d-121.430867 . That's where the slide is. There are no detour roads through the mountains around this without a lot of construction. The slide is unstable dirt, so a quick and dirty path over it can't be done until it dries out. A tunnel would be the best approach, but that requires a stable hill, lots of time to build (not to mention EIRs), and lots of $$$ (just look at Devil's Slide). I can't see an easy short-term fix here. Pfeiffer Bridge is a breeze compared to this mess.
Hmm. From the south side, Hearst Castle Road to Burnett Creek Road to Salmon Creek Road to Coast Ridge Road to Will Creek Road which takes you back to CA 1. Not recommended for trailers, trucks, or RVs, but should be a pretty detour for people in cars who aren't in a hurry. And really I wouldn't recommend the central coast for anyone who was in a hurry.
Amazing side-by-side photo
https://www.wired.com/2017/05/photo-week-highway-1s-epic-landslide/?mbid=nl_52517_p1&CNDID=30789051 (https://www.wired.com/2017/05/photo-week-highway-1s-epic-landslide/?mbid=nl_52517_p1&CNDID=30789051)
Whoa, that landslide is a lot bigger than I thought!
As I note on my pages, if you want to see where this is: On the Caltrans PostMile Tool (https://postmile.dot.ca.gov/), look at Route 1 PM MON 9.066
Quote from: MaxConcrete on May 29, 2017, 08:54:57 PM
Amazing side-by-side photo
https://www.wired.com/2017/05/photo-week-highway-1s-epic-landslide/?mbid=nl_52517_p1&CNDID=30789051 (https://www.wired.com/2017/05/photo-week-highway-1s-epic-landslide/?mbid=nl_52517_p1&CNDID=30789051)
Those pictures are absolute rubbish. The "before" shot is just to the left of the slide, and the "after" shot is just to the right of it so that you can catch just a glimpse of the slide on the left.
Quote from: pderocco on May 31, 2017, 03:53:33 AM
Quote from: MaxConcrete on May 29, 2017, 08:54:57 PM
Amazing side-by-side photo
https://www.wired.com/2017/05/photo-week-highway-1s-epic-landslide/?mbid=nl_52517_p1&CNDID=30789051 (https://www.wired.com/2017/05/photo-week-highway-1s-epic-landslide/?mbid=nl_52517_p1&CNDID=30789051)
Those pictures are absolute rubbish. The "before" shot is just to the left of the slide, and the "after" shot is just to the right of it so that you can catch just a glimpse of the slide on the left.
You didn't move the little slide bar back and forth. The slide bar starts in the middle of the picture...you need to click and hold the spot in the middle to slide it to the left and right.
The Caltrans Quick Map has the Mud Creek Slide reopening in Mid-2018 now. Looks come the completion of the Pfeiffer Canyon Bridge that people will need to use the Nacimiento-Fergusson Road if they don't want to do any back tracking out Big Sur. The section from Lucia to Posts is still scheduled to reopen on July 31st, I might give it a go and head out that way around that time if that stays on schedule.
Edit: Decent article on the history of slides on CA 1 in Big Sur even back to the old seasonal closures that used to take place in the winter:
http://www.mercurynews.com/2017/06/03/is-big-surs-highway-1-worth-saving/
Edit Again: Found a complete time lapse of the Nacimiento-Fergusson Road, looks like there are a lot more folks on it now given the slides:
Quote from: jeffandnicole on May 31, 2017, 05:58:10 AM
Quote from: pderocco on May 31, 2017, 03:53:33 AM
Quote from: MaxConcrete on May 29, 2017, 08:54:57 PM
Amazing side-by-side photo
https://www.wired.com/2017/05/photo-week-highway-1s-epic-landslide/?mbid=nl_52517_p1&CNDID=30789051 (https://www.wired.com/2017/05/photo-week-highway-1s-epic-landslide/?mbid=nl_52517_p1&CNDID=30789051)
Those pictures are absolute rubbish. The "before" shot is just to the left of the slide, and the "after" shot is just to the right of it so that you can catch just a glimpse of the slide on the left.
You didn't move the little slide bar back and forth. The slide bar starts in the middle of the picture...you need to click and hold the spot in the middle to slide it to the left and right.
Yes, I did. You just didn't look at the pictures. Compare them to Google Earth imagery. I still say they're rubbish. They're pictures of two different places that don't anywhere near line up.
Quote from: pderocco on June 21, 2017, 01:26:38 AM
Quote from: jeffandnicole on May 31, 2017, 05:58:10 AM
Quote from: pderocco on May 31, 2017, 03:53:33 AM
Quote from: MaxConcrete on May 29, 2017, 08:54:57 PM
Amazing side-by-side photo
https://www.wired.com/2017/05/photo-week-highway-1s-epic-landslide/?mbid=nl_52517_p1&CNDID=30789051 (https://www.wired.com/2017/05/photo-week-highway-1s-epic-landslide/?mbid=nl_52517_p1&CNDID=30789051)
Those pictures are absolute rubbish. The "before" shot is just to the left of the slide, and the "after" shot is just to the right of it so that you can catch just a glimpse of the slide on the left.
You didn't move the little slide bar back and forth. The slide bar starts in the middle of the picture...you need to click and hold the spot in the middle to slide it to the left and right.
Yes, I did. You just didn't look at the pictures. Compare them to Google Earth imagery. I still say they're rubbish. They're pictures of two different places that don't anywhere near line up.
Oh, why? They don't line up perfectly, but you can easily match them. Look at windy road going uphill to a group of homes on the right. On the left, there is a small ditch with something like a bridge over it. A lot of other things did change, but that is the point of comparison...
You can get surprisingly close from the north to the Mud Creek Slide at Gorda, I want to say the gate was less than a mile away? Those people are lucky that nobody lost their home with that slide:
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/5/4285/35183063811_c154eebbd8_k.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/VB1p7t)IMG_0493 (https://flic.kr/p/VB1p7t) by Max Rockatansky (https://www.flickr.com/photos/151828809@N08/), on Flickr
Paul's Slide north from Lucia to Pfieffer Canyon has reopened with one-way controls:
http://www.latimes.com/travel/deals/la-tr-california-highway-1-pauls-slide-reopens-20170720-htmlstory.html
Too bad you still have to backtrack on the Nacimiento-Fergusson Road until the Pfeiffer Canyon Bridge is replaced a couple months down the line.
At least everyone is once again connected to the rest of the world.
Quote from: vdeane on July 22, 2017, 06:45:57 PM
At least everyone is once again connected to the rest of the world.
The locals had access at a Caltrans manned gate. I think there was only a very short time frame where all the slides on CA 1 occurred and the Nacimiento-Fergusson Road was closed by one as well. That's still a hell of a trip to make on Nacimiento just to go get groceries, I suppose that's the price of living in one of most beautiful places in the country.
Looks like Caltrans is getting close to finalizing plans to rebuild CA 1 at the Mud Creek Slide in about a month:
http://www.sfchronicle.com/bayarea/article/New-road-planned-to-traverse-Big-Sur-slide-11727731.php&cmpid=twitter-premium#photo-12956880
Quote from: kalvado on June 21, 2017, 09:34:36 AM
Quote from: pderocco on June 21, 2017, 01:26:38 AM
Quote from: jeffandnicole on May 31, 2017, 05:58:10 AM
Quote from: pderocco on May 31, 2017, 03:53:33 AM
Quote from: MaxConcrete on May 29, 2017, 08:54:57 PM
Amazing side-by-side photo
https://www.wired.com/2017/05/photo-week-highway-1s-epic-landslide/?mbid=nl_52517_p1&CNDID=30789051 (https://www.wired.com/2017/05/photo-week-highway-1s-epic-landslide/?mbid=nl_52517_p1&CNDID=30789051)
Those pictures are absolute rubbish. The "before" shot is just to the left of the slide, and the "after" shot is just to the right of it so that you can catch just a glimpse of the slide on the left.
You didn't move the little slide bar back and forth. The slide bar starts in the middle of the picture...you need to click and hold the spot in the middle to slide it to the left and right.
Yes, I did. You just didn't look at the pictures. Compare them to Google Earth imagery. I still say they're rubbish. They're pictures of two different places that don't anywhere near line up.
Oh, why? They don't line up perfectly, but you can easily match them. Look at windy road going uphill to a group of homes on the right. On the left, there is a small ditch with something like a bridge over it. A lot of other things did change, but that is the point of comparison...
Ahah! I found the problem. The pictures are fine, but in Internet Explorer the "after" photo is stretched so that the slide isn't even within the frame. It looks fine in Firefox. That's the problem when they use bleeding edge HTML constructs that haven't had the bugs wrung out.
New today, here's some drone footage of the work at the Mud Creek slide on CA 1, now expected to be open by the end of July:
https://www.sacbee.com/news/state/california/article213072609.html
Quote from: Kniwt on June 13, 2018, 02:05:00 PM
New today, here's some drone footage of the work at the Mud Creek slide on CA 1, now expected to be open by the end of July:
https://www.sacbee.com/news/state/california/article213072609.html
The drone footage wouldn't play for me for some reason. Good to see the closure wrapping up early, I'm hoping to get out there the first week the road is fully open again.