Pacific Coast Bike Route/California Coastal Trail in Mendocino County

Map of Pacific Coast Bike Route along Route 1 in Mendocino County

Project Description

The State Route 1 corridor is the primary north-south route in the coastal portion of the county, extending over 100 miles from Leggett on Route 101 south to the Sonoma County line. Route 1 is a curving two-lane, conventional highway with narrow to zero shoulders that traverses sections of forested, mountainous terrain as well as coastal terrace landscapes with agricultural land uses. Development ranges from very low density to rural communities with a larger community at Fort Bragg. In Mendocino County, Route 1 is classified as a rural minor arterial. Currently, less than half the length of the Route in Mendocino County meets the concept roadway width (two twelve-foot travel lanes with four-foot shoulders or 32-feet of paved width).

This project is funded with State Planning & Research (SP&R) grant funds, provided by Caltrans. Caltrans District 1 Executive Staff and Transportation Planning, in close coordination with the Mendocino Council of Governments (MCOG), will be leading the study as project managers.

Objective

The purpose of this project is to prepare an Engineered Feasibility Study (EFS) to improve the State Route 1 corridor for bicycles and pedestrians where the Pacific Coast Bike Route and California Coastal Trail are co-located throughout the entire north-south length of the coastal Route 1 in Mendocino County. The Engineered Feasibility Study will provide the information necessary to develop preliminary cost estimates for design, permits, and construction, which will be used to apply for grant funding for priority project(s) that are identified and defined in the Study.

Methodology

A GIS-based field inventory of the study corridor's 100+ miles is already underway to identify gaps in the existing bicycle and pedestrian facilities. The field data will capture physical conditions such as shoulder conditions, vegetation, and bridges. Field data will be augmented with general locations of biological and cultural resources along the study corridor. The criteria will be developed to evaluate and prioritize candidate projects. The project will seek input from the community and Technical Advisory Group on evaluation criteria.

Project Schedule

Public Outreach - July 2012 through October 2012

Technical Studies - May 2012 through August 2012

Completion of Draft Report - November 2012

Final Report - January 2013

FINAL Engineered Feasibilty Study, January 2013