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Midcoast Hwy 1 Crossings,
Raised Medians, Turn Lanes

(Highway 1 Congestion & Safety Improvement Project)

Midcoast crossings, left turn pockets at Gray Whale Cove and 8th St, and raised medians in Montara and Moss Beach were identified by the community in 2012 as short term, high priority, in the Action Plan for Highway 1 Safety & Mobility Improvement Studies.

2012: Transportation Authority (TA) allocated $1.5 million to SMC for planning/permitting (application - appendices). 

2014-2015: Scroll down for public process and Preliminary Planning Study (PPS) with preferred crossing alternatives and project phasing.  
Gray Whale Cove was selected as Phase 1 for implementation.
Summary history of the project 2012-2017.

Gray Whale Cove (GWC) Project

2017 Sept: Two years after selection of GWC as Phase 1 of Midcoast Crossings, the $1.35 million remainder of 2012 grant funding for design/permitting of all Midcoast crossings was reprogrammed to fund GWC Improvement Project through construction. (staff report & MOU).

2018 June: Caltrans requires signifiant design change for ADA compliance, even though ADA access to beach or viewing area west of highway is not feasible. Preferred northern crossing location is disallowed due to cross-slope of road. New location puts crossing immediately south of busy parking lot entrance and significantly out of pedestrian line of travel. Preliminary construction cost estimate is $2.3M.

2019 Sept: PLN2018-00482 project environmental review document published (plan)
Comments received: Sierra Club, Steve Bond & Associates (Geologist)
Nov/Dec 2019 Planning Commission continuances requested twice by Caltrans & County, then project was heard from no more.

2023: TA funding agreement has expired (2023 TA progress report)

Preferred Crossing Alternatives/Phasing

Aug 2015: Chapter 6 of the Preliminary Planning Study (PPS)  describes the preferred alternatives and implementation plan.  Improvements would be constructed in 3 phases with timing dependent on funding availability:

Phase 1 - Grey Whale Cove Alt 1 (2015) 
2018: significant design change for ADA compliance

Phase 2 - 2020-21: Moss Beach Virginia Alt 3

  • 2019 Aug: Separately, and unannounced, Caltrans paints bare-bones crosswalk at Virginia, apparently unaware of this County planning study (2019 MCC comments  & pictures).

  • 2021: Caltrans installed Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacon (RRFB) at Virginia crosswalk

  • 2022: Moss Beach SR-1 Corridor Study will include intersection control with crossings for Moss Beach. 

Phase 3- 2023-24: Montara 2nd St Alt 3

Lighthouse/16th Alt 1 was also selected for Phase 1, but the design alternative (painted crosswalk with flashing beacon) was disallowed by the TA in Nov 2015 because the Highway Grant Program supporting this project is for congestion management. Note that all the crossing design alternatives first presented in June 2014 were of this type (thus ineligible for grant), in spite of grant application assurances that all crossings would include median refuge island.

MCC Input on Process

  • Mar 2012 MCC letter listed common themes and near-term priorities of the Safety/Mobility Study.

  • Jun 2012 MCC support for grant app and early process of consultation with MCC and community on design details. 

  • Oct 2012 MCC requested three break-out groups (Montara, Moss Beach, and El Granada/Miramar) for an inclusive public process in initial planning.

  • May 2013 MCC requested inclusion of the lighthouse crossing when it was learned it had been left out. 

  • Jul  2014 MCC review presentation & renew support.

  • Apr 2015 MCC provided comprehensive comments on the design and evaluation process (minutes).

  • Aug 2019 MCC commented on Caltrans' unannounced crosswalk painted at Virginia & Hwy 1 without adequate signage and safety features.

Evaluation of Crossing Design Alternatives