While the latest erosion on West Cliff Drive isn’t endangering public access or infrastructure, the City of Santa Cruz is still looking at ways to handle the damage in both the short and long term. Meanwhile, the Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission will hold a public hearing on Thursday for its 2050 regional transportation plan.
West Cliff Drive’s future
Posted inLatest News
New year kicks off with more West Cliff erosion as another chunk tumbles into the bay
A section of coastal bluff near Getchell Street crumbled onto the shore beneath it on Saturday. Although the pedestrian path is expected to remain open, Santa Cruz officials are monitoring the area and will implement more safety measures if needed.
Posted inLatest News
Newsmakers 2025: West Cliff storm damage work finally wrapped up as city looks toward long-term plans
West Cliff Drive finally reopened to two-way traffic this summer as Santa Cruz public works crews finished up repairs to extensive damage from the 2023 storms. Now, officials are making long-term plans for the road, and hope to finally get reimbursed for the emergency repairs.
Posted inLatest News
Carmageddon: Harbor access roads join Murray Street closure; input requested for Bethany Curve public art
The east harbor access road beneath the Murray Street Bridge has closed until January in the interest of public safety, as crews will be staging heavy equipment and relocating everything from rock armoring and utilities into the pedestrian zone.
Posted inLatest News
Carmageddon: West Cliff reopens to two-way traffic; RTC receives $128M state grant
West Cliff Drive is finally back open to two-way traffic after over two years of at least single-lane closures along multiple stretches of road.
Posted inLatest News
Carmageddon: West Cliff Drive to reopen both ways in June as city explores relocating a stretch of the road
The City of Santa Cruz is working toward an end-of-June reopening for two-way traffic along West Cliff Drive as it progresses through the final steps of armoring and stabilization for the battered road. Concurrently, the city is working with a design team to begin moving forward on relocating the roadway near Lighthouse Field.
Posted inLatest News
Carmageddon: Work, erosion continues on West Cliff Drive as next 5 years begin to take shape
The City of Santa Cruz is preparing to begin work on several projects along West Cliff Drive as early as this year, now that the city council has officially approved the road’s five-year roadmap. Meanwhile, more erosion is manifesting in an area that was already closed for about 18 months following the 2023 storms.
Posted inLatest News
Carmageddon: Full West Cliff reopening pushed to late spring as crews wrap up major projects
West Cliff Drive might be fully open by April as crews put the finishing touches on a number of major projects, including a sea cave that had formed under the roadway and a damaged storm drain farther west on Santa Cruz’s iconic coastal road. City of Santa Cruz Public Works Assistant Director Kevin Crossley told Lookout that the federal funding freeze of last week has not affected work so far, but that the city might need to reevaluate how it frames its projects in applications going forward.
Posted inLatest News
City to reopen part of West Cliff to two-way traffic after nearly two-year closure
The City of Santa Cruz will finally reopen the block of West Cliff Drive between Columbia Street and Woodrow Avenue to two-way traffic on Friday, nearly two years after it was severely damaged due to the deluge of atmospheric rivers in January 2023.
Posted inOpinion from Community Voices
West Cliff’s future depends on unity – surfers have a place in the discussion
Surfers have always been an important partner in the City of Santa Cruz’s climate resiliency planning and have helped shape priorities for West Cliff Drive’s future, writes City Manager Matt Huffaker. He refutes a recent Community Voices piece by surfing community members and warns about the spread of false information that confuses the public and makes it difficult to implement needed change. The city has extensive planning efforts underway, all open to feedback from the community, and he says it’s a great time for the public to get engaged on this important work.