Coastal Traffic congestion, some help is on the way: Half Moon Bay area

The Daily Journal/Local/Samantha Weigel/Staff, 6/11/16. "Highway 1 congestion examined: operational improvements, safety proposed for coastside." 

Compare to Pacifica, almost
never traffic congestion, right.

Typical Half Moon Bay traffic circulation, weekdays 5-7 pm.

"Improving safety and alleviating congestion along Highway 1 in Half Moon Bay will be the focus of a $9.5 million project that’s up for discussion with the community Monday. City staff is hosting an informational meeting (6/13/16) to introduce a slew of proposed improvements ranging from installing new traffic signals to widening a short segment of a frequently congested area along the coastside’s sole north-and-south highway.

....  Although Half Moon Bay’s residential growth is minimal, due to a voter-approved measure limiting it to 1 percent, decades of development branching off the aging highway and a tremendous increase in weekend as well as holiday visitors is putting a strain on the roads.  And although this particular project will not solve the problem, it will provide some congestion relief as well as important safety enhancements, Community Development Director John Doughty said, noting the city took on the project that is technically in Caltrans’ right of way. ....  ...  'What we’re really working from is Caltrans not really keeping up with what the needs are from a more regional perspective. And we’re also working from a highway that was built 50 years ago; and the world has changed,' Doughty said. 
 
  .... ...  Doughty noted some have sought further improvements, such as further extending the four-lane segment, as well as the city’s desire to implement an intelligent transportation system model where the synchronization of the lights is adjusted to meet real-time demands. However, additional funds have not been identified and even the existing $9.5 million may not completely cover all of the projects currently on the table, Doughty said.  Highway 1 would remain open during construction, which is estimated to take about a year and could begin as early as Spring 2017, according to the city."  Read article.

Note photographs. Half Moon Bay traffic congestion by Charles Russo from  Half Moon Bay Review/Mark Noack, 11/29/13, "Traffic Troubles." Pacifica traffic congestion from Pacifica Riptide, 8/5/15, "Highway to Hell: Caltrans all-day traffic jam." 

Posted by Kathy Meeh