VIDEO. Bike lane disappears for about 100 yards. John Doughty, Public Work for City of Half Moon Bay, said this is temporary.
“I wanted to give you a heads-up that we are not satisfied with the current layout and are currently in the process of re-design of construction zone with Caltrans.
This will include a dedicated lane for bicycles and likely detour of vehicles (and bikes) at Main/Higgins Canyon Road. Final design is not complete, but for the safety of all, bicyclist may be routed to Seymour-Main-Higgins Canyon Road for their safety—something we are still discussing. Cannot get into too much detail as we are in process of design. Caltrans seems amenable to the concepts.
Immediate steps taken includes signing the zone for 25 MPH speed limit and placement of a VMS sign at transition point alerting folks of speed change and potential presence of bicyclists. We also relocated barriers to improve line of site at Main/Higgins Canyon and Highway 1.”
PRESS RELEASE. City Breaks Ground on Highway 1 Safety Operational Improvements – South Gateway New Intersection Design, Signals at Highway 1/Main Street/Higgins Canyon Road.
Half Moon Bay, CA – October 1, 2020 – The City of Half Moon Bay officially began work on significant safety improvements to a critical Highway 1 intersection serving Downtown, the community, and the coastside. A small groundbreaking ceremony today commemorated the start of reconstruction and improvement of the intersection of Highway 1/Main Street/Higgins Canyon Road.
The intersection, currently regulated by stop signs, will be signalized and reconfigured to eliminate the “high-speed” right turn from northbound Highway 1. The right turn to Main Street from the south will be modified, and three signalized pedestrian crossings across Highway 1/Main Street will be added. The current closest signalized pedestrian crossings are ½-mile to the north and 1-mile to the south. Additionally, a bike-box (pavement markings providing a place in front of the vehicular stop line for bicyclists to queue up at a red light) will be placed on southbound Main Street.
The entire intersection with Higgins Canyon Road will be realigned, and landscaped highway medians and adjustments in turning lanes will further improve safety and aesthetics for this section of Highway 1. The project includes two large concrete entry structures and landscape improvements to create a South Gateway to Main Street. The project is expected to take approximately 12 months to complete.
“We’re excited to see this important traffic, bicycle, and pedestrian safety project get underway, with many thanks to the San Mateo County Transportation Authority for Measure A grant funding” said Half Moon Bay Mayor Adam Eisen. “Not only will this project improve this much-used intersection and make it safer for all uses, it will be a new, more attractive gateway into our City.”
This is the South portion of the City’s Highway 1 Safety Operational Improvements Project, which is a set of roadway, signalization, and pedestrian features and upgrades designed to increase safety and improve traffic flow along Highway 1 through portions of Half Moon Bay. Together with the North section, the project as a whole also provides improved response times for emergency vehicles, and median landscaping for enhanced aesthetics.
More information on the South part of the project, including design renderings of this intersection, is online
here. For information on the North part of the project, visit
this web page.
In 2012, the San Mateo County Transportation Authority (SMCTA) awarded the City $3.5 million for design, right-of-way, and construction for each of the two projects (for a total of $7 million). After allocating funds in 2018 for design, in 2019 (following Caltrans’ approval of the project plans and specifications) the SMCTA Board allocated funds for the construction phase of the Highway 1 South Project. Following the project construction bid opening, SMCTA agreed to an increase of its original construction funding commitment, and on July 9, 2020, approved an additional $440,000 for construction of the Project for a total project cost, including design & environmental, of $4,600,000.
Highway 1 is a critical north-south arterial that connects residents to services, shopping, and activities in Half Moon Bay. School-age children utilize the corridor for access to and from their schools (when schools are in session), and many people, both locals and visitors, are in the corridor for recreational uses, or to get to their recreational destinations. The Highway 1 Safety Operational Improvements Project is intended to address the safety and operational issues along Highway 1, to make the area safer pedestrian and bicyclists, and improve traffic flow.
Located 28 miles south of San Francisco, the City of Half Moon Bay is a community of about 12,500 people, situated on the peninsula between forested hills and some of the most beautiful coastlines that California has to offer. Its historic downtown is home to numerous shops, art galleries, restaurants, bed and breakfasts, and other businesses, and its celebrated beaches and parks are wonders of nature, accessible to pedestrians, bicyclists, and equestrians. With its many activities and events, beautiful natural scenery, old-town charm, and abundance of retail and commercial services, Half Moon Bay is a regional destination. The City’s website is
www.hmbcity.com.
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[updated] INCREDIBLE DANGER at intersection of Hwy 1 & Higgins Canyon/South Main St.:
Dear Michelle –
Am so grateful you are there.
[[An earlier version of this email was sent to your “Contact” section on Buzz. Sorry for sending a slightly update letter in, again, but someone’s life could be at stake. ]]
THANK YOU for your article of Nov. 18!!
i just discovered the horrid danger a few nights ago. Then met the man who almost died in the accident there, a day before you wrote your article.
i would LOVE to speak with you about how we, the public, can get this danger fixed QUICK!!!
1. THE ALMOST FATAL ACCIDENT: Jose Luis Alcantar has photos of his car that was totaled (in the front) on Nov. 17. He was crossing the north-bound lanes on Hwy. 1 to go south. Neither he nor the other driver saw each other, because the concrete barriers blocked their vision. (Both drivers were in cars lower to the ground than most vehicles.)
Miraculously, he wasn’t hurt. (There must have been so many other drivers who also have been spared from death at that place. i was almost hit there on Thanksgiving night.)
2. SHERIFF’S RESPONSE TO DANGER: The next day, i spoke with Sgt. Jim and 2 deputies. Only one (not Sgt. Jim) quietly stated since the accident some changes have been made, but more are needed. An understatement! Jim and the other sheriff said it was safe: “It’s the drivers’ responsibility to look before entering the intersection.”
What if you don’t know that you will not be able to SEE a smaller-in-height vehicle, because it will be hidden by the concrete barriers until it is upon you?
3. WHAT ABOUT THE BICYCLISTS??? One possible CORRECTION: IF Cal Trans could act quickly (which am told it will not): cones could be placed in the “slow” lane long before the beginning of the barriers, guiding cars into the “fast” lane. A new Bike Lane could then be painted in the now un-used “slow” lane, next to the barriers. IF the intersection at S. Main/Higgins Canyon Rd. still has drivers going north or south, bikers would be alerted it is coming. Right now, there isn’t one of those generic highway signs that shows another road is ahead, intersecting.
4. HMB City response? Victor Gaiten from the City returned my call this morning. He’s a good man. Off the record he felt a delegation to speak with Matthew Chidester would help.
After just discovering your article, it is apparent more than that is needed. Neither of the administrators here at Senior Coastsiders housing departments are willing to get involved in a delegation meeting.
However, one of their staffers has great respect for you and had some ideas.
a. We should flood the HMB Council meeting tomorrow night – to speak about this.
(Yipes – there isn’t another Council meeting until Dec. 15. Someone could be killed at the intersection before then. This gal said THAT would result in the necessary changes. What the hell – it needs someone to get killed to get action ~ when it’s obvious that could happen now?)
b. She also suggested getting an article written in the HMB Review. How great if you – and someone from the Review (if they can’t pick up the story you might want to create) could be watching in to the Council meeting tomorrow night.
c. COUNCIL MEMBERS:
Am new to HMB. It seems, though, most of the Council members would be sympathetic to protecting their constituents from someone getting killed at this dangerous intersection. Would it not be wise to contact them first during the day, to give them a little “heads up” that this issue will be addressed Tuesday night?
Perhaps, a one- pager could be sent to them first, offering a few suggestions on quick fixes to this danger – – – that HMB could do immediately – not having to wait for CalTrans to do something.
i’d love to get your feedback on a draft of a one-pager i’ve done.
Am hopeful Jose might be willing to speak at the Council meeting. Somehow, perhaps the photos of his smashed car could be shown.
d. HOW CAN WE GET MORE FOLKS ALREADY AWARE OF THIS DANGER, to participate in the Public Comments Tuesday night?
So far, the only concrete thing i’ve done: after almost being hit, made 4 poster board signs Thanksgiving night. Taped them to A frames at the intersection – – – 3 of them specifically next to the lane going south on Hwy. 1 (Have a photo : )
mary bernier
(650) 222-6361
[email protected]