Highway 1 in Big Sur is among the most beautiful roads on Earth. Most images of it – aside from disaster photos – contain one common element: a bridge. The 1930s-era bridges along Highway 1 have become the artery’s defining feature, but as their concrete railings have deteriorated over time and now require replacement, just how that plays out has become a hot-button topic.
Among the railings in need of replacement, Garrapata Creek Bridge is the first that’s come into the focus of Caltrans. The agency’s recommendations, based on standards adopted in 2016, have run afoul of the Monterey County Planning Commission and the Board of Supervisors – it’s been deemed that they harm the views.
In March 2023, the Planning Commission denied Caltrans’ application for a permit to replace and redesign the railings; Caltrans appealed to the Board of Supervisors, who in turn voted in December to uphold the “intent” of the Planning Commission’s decision – Caltrans was tasked with developing a more refined proposal.
Caltrans submitted a supplemental application with a range of aesthetic options. It’s slated to return to the board for a vote on Tuesday, June 25.
The board also voted to create a working group to review Caltrans’ proposed design alternatives; the group included three Caltrans employees and four county residents or employees. In a ranked voting poll, it went 4-3, with the county representatives wanting to keep it the same.
A county report characterizes the supervisors’ decision as wanting to protect “one of the few celebrated man-made features along Highway 1 in Big Sur Critical Viewshed,” and notes “the precedent-setting nature of this decision, which may impact the consideration of the other historic bridge rail replacements in the Big Sur corridor.”
Pete Hendrix, Caltrans District 5 traffic chief, says if the supervisors deny the appeal, Caltrans is likely to add barriers to take the bridge to one lane for three to 10 years. From Ragged Point to Monastery Beach, he adds, there have been 24 fatalities in vehicular accidents over the past decade.
Martha Diehl, a county planning commissioner who lives near the Garrapata Creek Bridge, has been a leading advocate for keeping the current aesthetic, and thinks Caltrans needs to change its approach to the design – safety matters, but so do looks.
“We’ve all got to help them get out of that box,” she says. Though right now, Caltrans is not budging.
(4) comments
These comments need a video response which unfortunately isn’t possible here. Contrary to the writers’ memories, the current visually transparent views thru the railings provide some of the only views of the nearshore available to the traveling public as well as the opportunities for views of things like classic cars and marathon runners looking in.. Losing those actually would be a big deal on many levels.
Perhaps those commenting were driving in which case it is probably wise of them to look at the traffic instead of the view.
As for wasting the public’s money I agree. That is why I have been participating in project development since it was originally brought up in 2019. Unfortunately CalTrans has not changed its original proposal significantly in all that time despite almost universal opposition. This is on them, not those who have worked for generations to preserve the Big Sur experience for everyone to enjoy.
Alternatives 1 and 4D with chamfered balusters are the most aesthetically pleasing options to me. The online version of MCN does not give a good link to the CalTrans comparison sheet so I'm embedding a TinyURL here: https://tinyurl.com/28emuszx
I feel the arguments over the degree to which the new, safer, replacement rails will hide the view are misplaced. I have traveled Hwy 1 many dozens of times and seldom, if ever, have taken in the view through a bridge railing. The views are better on either end of the bridge. That’s not to say that the bridges themselves are not beautiful and iconic, but, again, the view of the bridge is better on from either side. Stop wasting our tax dollars having CalTrans to jump through hoops designing rails with incrementally wider gaps.
Thanks for the article. To further put the CalTrans comment into perspective howeverI I note that while of course any fatalities are too many there is no record whatsoever of any fatalities or injury accidents on or related to any of the Big Sur bridges over their 90+ year service making them arguably some of the safest sections of Hwy 1 in Big Sur. Additionally a quick internet pass indicates that Hwy 1 in spite of its appearance does not make the top 15 CA State Highways for fatalities. https://www.panish.law/deadliest-highway-stretches-california.html#:~:text=Study%20Insights,are%20located%20in%20Northern%20California.
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