California Launches a Highway 1 Task Force Ahead of El Niño Storms

A conglomeration of factors is threatening California's famed Pacific Coast Highway. Here is a look at what is causing this worrisome erosion and what action government officials are taking to stymie the impact.

Climate-Driven Impacts Accelerating Beach Erosion, Putting PCH at Risk

A combination of king tides, potent storms, and a Kelvin wave is threatening the infrastructure of California's winding Pacific Coast Highway (PCH). Rain is forecast to exacerbate the cracks beneath the highway that runs right along the coast. The high waves are chipping away at a protective coastal bluff beneath the PCH just as the rain is targeting the cracks, prompting government leaders to take action to preserve the route.

The primary area of concern is located near Laguna Beach in Southern California. According to Caltrans, a crack measuring almost 400 feet and 2 feet wide was identified near Crystal Cove. Crews began working on the cracks earlier in October.

The damage has forced the PCH to narrow to one lane in each direction between Reef Point Drive and Irvine Cove Drive. This work has slowed traffic to 25 mph along the critical route. Laguna Beach Mayor Mark Orgill said that it was "very important" to repair the road and have it open. Orgill noted that there are only three ways in and out of the beach community, making each route important.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom has launched an initiative to bolster preparations along the PCH in advance of the potential El Niño storms. Forecasters have been warning for months that California is likely to experience a battering of storms this winter as a Super El Niño drives the weather across the U.S.

Newsom signed an executive order on October 27 at Newport Beach's Crystal Cove State Park to direct state agencies to prepare the state's most vulnerable stretches of the route. The order also directs the agencies to prepare for expected long-term climate impacts.

The governor's order establishes a Highway 1 Task Force under the direction of the California State Transportation Agency and California Natural Resources Agency. The task force has been instructed to identify vulnerable areas, recommend priority projects, and establish ways to accelerate the preventive preparations before it is too late.

Newson's order also directs Caltrans to make landslide prevention a priority. Lastly, the California State Parks agency has been tasked with assessing how any potential closures and repairs will impact the parks.

What Crews Are Doing to Stabilize the Coastal Highway

Crews on site near Laguna Beach have begun the process of covering existing cracks with sheeting designed to keep rainwater from penetrating the slope. The next step will entail the installation of protective barriers placed at the base of the bluff to protect the road from erosion at times of heightened wave action.

According to Caltrans District 12 Public Information Officer Christianne Smith, the recent king tides and high waves have continued to erode the coastline. This erosion naturally impacts the stability of the bluff and the structure of the roadway.

Unfortunately, these coastal conditions also impact when and how crews can complete their assessment and work. “We’re adjusting our work around those conditions and moving forward with activities that can be done safely,” Smith said. “Our immediate focus is advancing the next phase of stabilization. Safety has to guide the timing of the work.”

There is great urgency surrounding these stabilization efforts as California's wet season approaches. Smith recognizes that the temporary protections being installed now are limited in their mitigation. “We also recognize that no temporary measure can eliminate all the risks associated with coastal erosion and severe weather,” Smith said.

A series of climate-driven impacts have elevated these erosion concerns. For instance, the Kelvin wave produced as a result of El Niño has sent sea-level heights at least one foot above normal readings for much of the California coastline.

For now, Caltrans is advising drivers traveling the busy corridor between Laguna Beach and Newport Beach to adhere to all posted traffic rules, give themselves extra time, and be alert for workers in the area. 

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