Infrastructure Improvements IMPROVEMENTS INFORMATION Opportunities (1/2)
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INFRASTRUCTURE TRAVELER Infrastructure Improvements IMPROVEMENTS INFORMATION Opportunities (1/2) Restroom Opportunities Addressing the limited number of public Recommendations to improve corridor restrooms could increase the confidence of experience for visitors and residents: transit and shuttle users that their needs met • Solutions require multi-agency and could address a critical need for the corridor. partnerships with land managers • Additional sites for restrooms (new restrooms are planned at Garrapata Advanced signage State Park, but others are likely needed) • Advanced signage and increased Visitor information traveler information (it is often not (pamphlets, phone app) clear that restrooms are available, especially at fee areas) Regular intervals • Multi-agency visitor hubs could throughout the corridor provide facilities and inform people of other facilities Slow Vehicle Turnout Opportunities Paved Viewpoint Opportunities Paving and signing turnouts can reassure Improvements to appropriate viewpoints motorists that they are able to more could organize parking and indicate easily pull over to let faster vehicles pass. desired movement patterns. Paved surfacing Paved viewpoint with delineated parking Potential frequency to plan for: approx. every 5 miles Boulders, berms, and vegetation delineate lookout areas Signage in advance of turnout Big Sur Highway 1 Sustainable Transportation Demand Management Plan Caltrans • Big Sur Corridor October 2019 INFRASTRUCTURE Infrastructure Improvements IMPROVEMENTS Opportunities (2/2) Technology Infrastructure Opportunities The use of mobile • Efforts to address the issue Carmel-by-the-Sea applications are underway. and ability to • Microcell technologies and other alternatives could be provide real-time Big Sur Posts updates for transit, considered. • A new tower is planned in Slates Hot shuttles, or parking Springs southern Big Sur Valley at Some parks without comprehensive cell coverage have availability is limited Lucia opted to designate cellular sites. (Williams and Hall) Post Ranch. by the lack of cell Plaskett • Improvements could Gorda Sprint Coverage phone coverage 4G LTE Monterey County bring improved corridor Ragged Point San Luis Obispo County and technology 3G Coverage emergency response, Roaming Lack of Cell infrastructure. communicate travel Coverage San Simeon Source: 2019 information, and help Wireless Coverage Cambria North Web Map visitors shift use behaviors. Cell phone coverage is limited throughout the coast. Microcell technologies could be considered in areas where cell towers and other infrastructure improvements aren’t feasible. (Kriang Phrom / Shutterstock) Geometric Improvement Electric Vehicle Charging Opportunities Station Opportunities Roadway conditions could be assessed Electric vehicle (EV) chargers could and improvements made where feasible build driver confidence to use EVs for to improve accessibility, address turning their trip by decreasing driving range movements, and meet the CA Building Code. concerns. They should be located where • Point Lobos SNR: the chargers will be used. ingress/egress improvements at entry • Old Coast Road at Regular intervals throughout Bixby Bridge: ingress/ the corridor egress improvements that define travel lanes and reduce conflicts at the Fast charging speed is desired intersection (cones are currently being used to Located in lodging areas address this need) and commercial or publicly • Sycamore Canyon accessible areas with activities Road: ingress/egress Cones are currently being used at the Old Coast improvements to improve Highway intersection near Bixby Bridge to turning movement define turning movements. Big Sur Highway 1 Sustainable Transportation Demand Management Plan Caltrans • Big Sur Corridor October 2019 ACTIVE Active Transportation TRANSPORTATION Opportunities Shared Use Shoulder Opportunities Shared Use Path Opportunities Except for where terrain, ownership, and In the northern portion of the corridor, environmental conditions are limiting shared use paths could serve some factors, increasing the paved shoulder users and provide access to recreation area could give more separation between destinations along the corridor. cyclists and motorists. CHMP identifies Increase paved the need to provide shoulders for shared use paved shoulders Paths can for shared use connect parklands in the Monterey and Carmel areas Improvements could be part of other projects or its own project California Coastal Trail Opportunities Pedestrian Facility Opportunities The California The lack of Coastal Trail (CCT) separated facilities will be a 1,200-mile between cars network of trails and pedestrians running the length causes concern of the coast. for motorists and • Planning for the CCT traffic slows to through the Big Sur avoid collisions. Coast corridor has been • In high use areas, where underway and certain feasible, providing a portions are complete designated, off-highway • Connecting the trail path can be beneficial to accommodations, • Grade separated intercept lot locations, crossings could be and transit stops could explored in areas such provide options for as Point Lobos SNR people to access the trail and Palo Corona The underpass at McWay Falls allows people to walk from off-highway parking to the vista point without and explore the coast Regional Park crossing traffic. (Image by Modern Hiker) Big Sur Highway 1 Sustainable Transportation Demand Management Plan Caltrans • Big Sur Corridor October 2019 DATA COLLECTION Data Collection & Analysis & ANALYSIS Opportunities Annual Data Collection Opportunities Annual traffic counts • Park and recreation visitation North at key locations could numbers can be a valuable data set. allow land managers and • Recreation land managers should consider how to standardize data NORTH OF GARRAPATA stakeholders to have a STATE PARK more accurate picture collection and use technology to provide more accurate information. of travel and visitation patterns and volumes. Visitor information should at the least Data collection should include the following: note road closure impacts. • Park visitation by day and hour of arrival • The time parking fills and when it Monterey County COUNTY LINE reopens San Luis Obispo County • The number of people per vehicle • Length of stay Recommended NORTH OF Permanent CAMBRIA Count Locations Visitor Data Opportunities Collecting data presents As a baseline, data an opportunity to fine tune collection could include strategies. The data could the following: be coordinated by a lead • Visitor experience surveys agency or by a tourism • Travel mode surveys agency or chamber. • Traveler destination and origin data within the corridor (e.g. Surveys could be conducted coming from the north and every 2 or 3 years. returning to the north vs. Conditions that might traveling through) affect the results, such as road closures, should be • Roadside parking counts at high described in the reports. demand areas (e.g. Point Lobos SNR, Garrapata State Park, Bixby Bridge, McWay Falls) • Turnover of roadside parking at Bixby Bridge (Image by MetroCount) Big Sur Highway 1 Sustainable Transportation Demand Management Plan Caltrans • Big Sur Corridor October 2019 PARKING MANAGEMENT & Parking Management & ENFORCEMENT Enforcement Opportunities High Demand Visitor Locations Opportunities Off-highway parking Bixby Creek Bridge North could be developed in POINT LOBOS STATE • Visitation exceeds roadside parking NATURAL RESERVE tandem with no-parking • Off-highway parking with view of the GARRAPATA SP AREA zones and increasing bridge and ocean vista could relocate enforcement and fines the use to a more managed, off-highway BIXBY BRIDGE during peak periods (that facility (e.g., Golden Gate Bridge are consistent with local Overlook), parking at the bridge could ordinances). then be restricted MCWAY FALLS • Nearby opportunities should be explored Visitation is highest (e.g., USFS Brazil Ranch or other public near urban areas and lands) SAND DOLLAR BEACH destinations promoted on McWay Falls social media and other • Expand off-highway parking Monterey County marketing sites. Potential Areas to San Luis Obispo County • Formalize and organize roadside parking Relocate Roadside Partnerships are needed • Create designated paths from parking Parking to Off- to develop mutually areas to provide an alternative route of Highway Locations beneficial strategies. travel other than along the highway Management Systems Opportunities Better access management and reservation systems help disperse use Muir Woods has throughout the day. successfully changed how they manage • Reservations are regularly used access into the park with by state parks, national parks, and a shuttle and parking local and county parks reservation system • Creating and enforcing no-parking zones can help improve overall parking management • Congestion pricing can also be used to shift visitor patterns to off- peak days and times of travel • Access management approaches should consider equity and the need to provide equal opportunities for coastal access (Image by National Park Service) (Image by Cale America) Big Sur Highway 1 Sustainable Transportation Demand Management Plan Caltrans • Big Sur Corridor October 2019.