Carmageddon: Public works exploring options for latest West Cliff erosion; public hearing for 2050 regional transportation plan

Although the most recent erosion event on West Cliff Drive didn’t take any of the pathway or street with it, the City of Santa Cruz is still considering ways to manage the site in the short, medium and long terms.

On Jan. 3 during a spell of rough weather, a chunk of the cliff crumbled and slid into the ocean beside the coastal road at the Getchell Street intersection. City public works staffers set up a line of orange, water-filled barriers to create a safe buffer between the erosion and people using the path. Kevin Crossley, assistant director of public works, said that’s likely the extent of the near-term, temporary solution.

In the medium term, Crossley said the city will consider a wooden fence, assuming that the area remains stable. However, if the site continues to erode, a long-term response could be necessary, which could involve shifting a section of the pedestrian path away from the cliffside.

“It’s within the realm of possibility, because we’ve got space to work with,” said Crossley. “That’s stuff we haven’t really thought through, but it looks like a good option at this juncture.”

Crossley said it’s unlikely that the Federal Highway Administration would foot the bill for work at this location, as it did following the extensive damage sustained during the 2023 winter storms. Crossley said this was a smaller, isolated event with no federal disaster declaration. However, the city could explore funding opportunities at the state level if necessary.

“There are a number of state programs that support coastal adaptation projects,” said Crossley. “We’re always keeping an eye on those, but they do have trade-offs. Mostly they take time to apply for and receive the funds.”

After a fairly quiet 2025 on the scenic road, the cliff crumbling is yet another reminder of the constantly changing coastline.

“We’ve got both armored and unarmored parts of the coastline and they both experience changes and coastal erosion,” said Crossley. “It highlights that we need to be planning for all types of erosion that are a fact of life in our community.”

Public hearing on 2050 regional transportation plan set for Thursday

The Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission (RTC) will hold a public hearing on the 2050 regional transportation plan at its Thursday meeting.

The plan is a state-mandated document that serves as a long-term vision for future projects and a guide for allocating funding down the road. The RTC’s goals and policies for the 2050 plan focus on providing alternatives to driving, improving safety, maintaining and improving roads efficiently, and addressing climate change and transportation equity. Possible projects range from widespread pavement rehabilitation to citywide bike infrastructure.

The plan is available for review, and public comment will remain open through Jan. 30, about two weeks after Thursday’s public hearing. Those interested in submitting comments can email info@sccrtc.org, with “RTP” in the subject line.

The RTC’s Thursday meeting begins at 6 p.m. at the Watsonville City Council chambers. Remote viewing is available via Zoom.

Latest news

Check out our Carmageddon road project list here. This week, pay particular attention to:

• Tree work, guardrail repair and electrical work are shutting down one lane of Highway 9 between Encinal Street and Golf Club Drive, Hihn Street and San Lorenzo Elementary, Higgins Road and Willow Brook/Locust Drive, Marshall Creek Bridge and California Drive/Middle Road, Pike Road and Lorenzo Avenue, and Two Bar Road and Kings Creek Road from Monday through Friday between 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

• Utility relocation work is shutting down Highway 9 overnight in Felton between Graham Hill Road and the San Lorenzo Valley schools complex from Monday through Friday between 8 p.m. and 5 a.m. One-way alternating traffic control will be in effect until Saturday morning.

• Bridge work will cause overnight closures of northbound and southbound Highway 1 between Bay Avenue and Park Avenue from Sunday night through Thursday morning. The southbound direction will be closed on Sunday and Monday between 9 p.m. and 5 a.m., and the northbound direction will be closed on Tuesday and Wednesday at the same time.
  
• Emergency sewer work in Soquel Village could occasionally block access to driveways, sidewalks, on-street parking and interrupt sewer service on weekdays until June 30, on Soquel Drive, Porter Street and Main Street. Work on Soquel Drive will be overnight from 8:30 p.m. to 5:30 a.m. and from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Porter and Main streets. Other, shorter-duration potholing on Porter, Main and Center streets and Daubenbiss Avenue will take place from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
  
• A full closure of the Murray Street Bridge is scheduled to run until February. It is closed to vehicles, bicycles and pedestrians. Vehicle traffic detours are along Soquel Avenue and Capitola Road via Seabright Avenue and 7th Avenue. Bicycles are being detoured across Arana Gulch and along Broadway via Seabright Avenue and 7th Avenue. Pedestrians are being detoured around the north harbor.
  
• The installation of the Newell Creek Pipeline on Graham Hill Road between Summit Avenue and Lockewood Lane is taking place on weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. and could cause delays of up to five minutes.

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