What to do about Hwy 1?
Devil's Slide has bedeviled coastal residents for roughly a century. Several major alternatives have been proposed for something of a permanent solution.
We'll be adding materials here soon, so please check back to find Caltrans documents showing bypass plans, Coastal Commission findings, and other interesting reading.
Alternatives under discussion
Get a birds-eye view of both proposed routes with this Map.
Independent Engineer's Report, including recommendations and observations.
Tunnel (click here for more info)
(approx. one mile, single bore, 2 lane, approx. $60M)
Issues include:
Recommended by independent geologists, as well as by Caltrans' Chief of Structures
Flat and straight
Dry, no fog
Same or lesser cost
Almost zero ecological impact
Same timeframe as the overland freeway
Annual maintenance cost
No funding in place; some feel looking into it might place current funding in jeopardy.
At only two lanes, pro-growth interests concerned it doesn't allow room for growth.
Martini Creek over-land freeway (aka "The Bypass") (click here for more info) (4.5 mile, approx. $82M, up from an earlier $70M, up from a much earlier $53M)
Issues include:
Fog
Curves
6.5% grade both up and down
$82M doesn't include blasting, est. at $30M more
3500 feet of sound walls
Eyesore for Montara and Pacifica residents
Linda Mar subjected to highway noise with no hope of mitigation
Linda Mar may get substantially increased fog through the deep mountain cuts
Cuts and fills in the mountain
Stability of cuts, especially in earthquakes
Stream changes and runoff into Fitzgerald sanctuary
Bisection of state park and the key bicycle trails.
CalTrans says funding is in place (caveat - no budget has been released)
View Caltrans' rendition of the freeway from Pacifica! (56K).
Modified MDA (Marine Disposal Alternative)
Issues include
- Although environmentalists still support its ecological viability, they are faced with an uphill battle to explain the complicated model.
- Dumping mountain materials into the ocean
- While some engineers stand by their claims, Caltrans disputes that removal of the head of the slide would allow the rest of the slide to remain stable.
- Losing favor to the tunnel which has almost zero ecological impact.
- Read a bit about the history here, and please send us your feedback if you'd like to add anything to this history.
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