State Route 92 remains closed indefinitely from Highway 35 west to Pilarcitos Creek Road in both directions due to a sinkhole, cutting off Half Moon Bay from the Peninsula and forcing drivers to use Highway 1.
Half Moon Bay City Manager Matthew Chidester said there is no time estimate for when crews will finish repairs and reopen the road. For the time being, people living on the coast must go either north through Pacifica or around Sharp Park Road to reach the Peninsula. However, people can also go south, where law enforcement is controlling roads and one-lane options that are passable but slow.
“This morning, there was a significant increase in cars heading northbound on Highway 1 beyond normal,” Chidester said. “I haven’t heard of any significant holdups, but the longer this goes, the more cars are going to be on the road.”
Most people living on State Route 92 have access to their homes because it is below where Caltrans crews are working to fix the sinkhole. Chidester said crews are letting local traffic in for people who live or work in the area before the sinkhole. Vehicles, however, must come from Half Moon Bay to access their homes and businesses. Chidester said the sinkhole is just east of where Pilarcitos Creek Road connects to State Route 92, with it big enough to cause safety issues on both sides of the road. The initial closure occurred on Jan. 11, with some controlled traffic still allowed. However, around 7 a.m. Jan. 12, the hard closure of the area occurred.
Chidester’s biggest concerns are emergency access vehicles getting through as quickly as possible and people trying to get to doctor’s appointments.
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Chidester said most closures on State Route 92 are for trees that fall or a traffic accident. He noted the road is generally in good condition and is the first time he can remember it being closed for problems. Significant improvements occurred more than 10 years ago to improve the containment walls and widening.
“For the most part, Highway 92 is in really great shape,” Chidester said.
Councilmember Harvey Rarback said the State Route 92 closure would affect traffic and cause issues for many residents, given the lack of access to the Peninsula.
“It’s a big problem on the coast being isolated,” Rarback said.
Chidester said the city was in a good place with the storm overall and was monitoring any future issues or if any further action needed to be taken. Hard-hit areas on the coast include the Moonridge farmworker housing community, residents on Oak Avenue and Pescadero residents. Many in those areas have had to evacuate, with some in Pescadero without power for days.
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