Mostly cloudy skies this evening. A few showers developing late. Low near 55F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 30%..
Mostly cloudy skies this evening. A few showers developing late. Low near 55F. Winds W at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 30%.
Caltrans is making headway on a proposed $45 million investment along a segment of High-way 1 from Moss Beach to Half Moon Bay. The state is planning to finalize the design and permits by spring 2024, but won’t break ground until that fall with a phased construction ap-proach that likely won’t be done until fall 2026.
Last month Caltrans District 4 office held a public presentation on the latest draft of the State Route 1 Multi-Asset Roadway Rehabilitation Project. Caltrans believes the roadway is in poor condition and lacks traffic monitoring systems that can be used to collect data on traffic flow.
The work spans more than seven miles of Highway 1 from Marine Boulevard in Moss Beach to Wavecrest Road in Half Moon Bay, and one spot at Highway 92 at Main Street. The pro-ject involves repaving, expanding bus stops, numerous pedestrian, bike and accessibility up-grades, and replacing various guardrails, traffic signal poles, and drainages.
A key aspect of this project is that the state believes the highway needs more traffic monitor-ing systems and plans to install three closed circuit television cameras, nine intersection cam-eras, and two traffic monitoring sensors on Highway 1. The sensors will go under the pave-ment near Seymour Street in Half Moon Bay and at Capistrano Road in Moss Beach.
“The purpose of this is that it will help analyze the traffic data to better utilize our roadway system, improve safety and establish future transportation plans,” said Kelly Ma, the state’s project manager. She noted the cameras are used only for performance monitoring, not law enforcement, and there are strict guidelines regarding the use and transmission of the footage.
The state plans to repave the entire highway in various phases which will raise the road by about two inches. Caltrans has also incorporated its “Complete Streets” elements for new curb ramps, crosswalks, sidewalks and a Class II bike lane along Highway 1. Caltrans is planning to study the feasibility of a Class 1 bike lane on the western side of Highway 1 from Kelly Ave-nue to Pilarcitos Creek Bridge. If it can’t be built, it will build a sidewalk instead.
Chanda Singh, San Mateo County’s senior transportation planner, has participated in stake-holder meetings with Caltrans and believes the project is well-integrated into Connect the Coastside, the county’s transportation management plan for Miramar through Montara. She noted Caltrans intends to implement many of the recommendations in Connect the Coastside, such as Highway 1 bike lanes, bus stop improvements, and crossing improvements at Ca-pistrano Road and Coronado Street.
Eight years in the making, Connect the Coastside was approved by the Board of Supervisors in July. All the recommended infrastructure would cost $77 million over the next 30 years. The Midcoast Community Council is expected to discuss the Caltrans project and potentially comment on it by the end of August.
Multiple curb cut ramps will be rebuilt to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act requirements. About 20 guardrails would be replaced with Caltrans’s Midwest Guardrail Sys-tems, which are taller, sturdier and safer than existing ones, said Ma. Caltrans has an ongoing study to determine which drainages and culverts will be improved. As for the crosswalks, Ma said the state will build at the locations outlined by San Mateo County’s Connect the Coastside and Highway 1 safety and mobility improvements plans. The state says its planning to coordinate with the county on building a crosswalk to Surfer’s Beach.
Caltrans initially planned to install four Variable Message Signs, three on Highway 1 and one on Highway 92, but those plans have since been scrapped after feedback from residents and regulatory agencies, including the Half Moon Bay Planning Commission.
To learn more about Caltrans’s State Route 1 Multi-Asses Roadway Rehabilitation Project, visit CaltransD4Environmental.com and search for the project’s name.
August Howell is a staff writer for the Review covering city government and public safety. Previously, he was the Review’s community, arts and sports reporter. He studied journalism at the University of Oregon.
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What a waste of money. Cameras to determine usage. How about the eyes of anybody who drives it! It needs to be widen...not more signs, cameras,etc, feasibility studies!
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