Highway 1 near Jenner failing, down to one lane

A crumbling stretch of Highway 1 on a steep grade north of Jenner has forced traffic to one lane and threatens a full closure should Thursday's expected ferocious storm cause further erosion, according to a Caltrans supervisor.

Some 100-200 feet of the southbound lane is sinking, some of it dropping off and rolling down to the highway lane below, said Ken Wells, Caltrans maintenance supervisor in Fort Ross.

The problem is on the switchbacks north of Russian Gulch and south of Meyers Grade. It began to drop away Tuesday morning and by Wednesday morning some of the roadway had dropped 4-5 feet, Wells said.

So far traffic can safely get around it, but should the crack spread into the northbound lane the highway will close, he said.

“If we lose Highway 1 completely the alternatives will be very very twisty, back country roads,” said Timber Cove Fire Chief Dennis Meredith, who supervises fire services north of the slide.

Word of the serious problem and its possible repercussions spread Wednesday along the coast. “The panic was starting this morning,” Meredith said. He fielded phone calls from concerned residents as did Monte Rio Fire Chief Steve Baxman, who also is chief of Jenner.

Baxman drove up for a look and afterward said he feared this next storm could sink more of the highway.

“There are bad implications if that road closes down. There's a lot of stuff moving up and down the coast,” Baxman said, referring to commercial vehicles, ambulances, tourists and residents.

At this location, detour options are all onerous.

Narrow, winding and steep, they would add a half hour or more to the coast drive. The most likely detours would be the Cazadero route, involving Cazadero Highway, King Ridge or Fort Ross roads.

King Ridge and Fort Ross roads are too narrow to qualify as two lanes, they're more like a lane and a half and aren't meant to handle increased traffic, including ambulance runs and commercial rigs, said both chiefs who feared added traffic could lead to collisions.

“They're scary enough with normal traffic,” said Meredith.

Wells said the problem is an emergency and a construction company will remain at the site around the clock. Wednesday a crew had covered the crumbling asphalt with plastic to keep out water from the non-stop rain and a contractor was working on a repair plan. Flaggers Wednesday guided drivers around the problem.

Wells said that even with no more damage, repairs will be substantial and lengthy.

“We're doing our best to try and keep that lane open,” Wells said. “Fingers crossed.”

You can reach Staff Writer Randi Rossmann at 521-5412 or randi.rossmann@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter@rossmannreport.