Detour

PACIFIC COAST HIGHWAY DETOUR

The Bolsa Chica Restoration Project will reconnect the restored tidal basin to the ocean with an inlet channel across Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) and the south end of Bolsa Chica State Beach. A new PCH bridge over the inlet will be constructed before the inlet is constructed. In order to build the PCH bridge and its approaches, the project must divert PCH traffic to a detour. We will build detour lanes immediately east/inland of the existing right of way.

The PCH construction zone will extend from Seapoint Ave. intersection north about 4,000 feet. The detour speed will be 45 mph and will not have bike lane striping. Existing PCH has a speed limit of 55 mph, does not have designated bike lanes, but does have wide shoulders. While the detour will have two NB lanes and two SB lanes, it will not have wide shoulders and will be lined with barricades. We will attempt to encourage cyclists to use the beach bike path and discourage bicycle transit through the PCH detour for safety reasons. For some of the construction time, we will have a temporary traffic signal at the north end of our PCH construction (about 4000 feet north of the Seapoint intersection) for trucks hauling rock and pilings.

The bike path on the State beach will also remain open but will be relocated, as needed, to avoid our jetty/inlet construction, until the PCH bridge is completed. Then, the beach bike path will be permanently rerouted onto the PCH bridge deck but will be completely separated by barricades from the PCH traffic lanes. The duration of PCH bridge construction will likely be Oct 2004 to Oct 2005.

BOLSA CHICA PEDESTRIAN DETOURS

In order to construct the berm around the full tidal basin, the eastern half of the public Ecological Reserve loop trail (from the east boardwalk landing to the East Garden Grove-Wintersberg (EGGW) flood channel will be closed to the public. This is expected to persist for about one year. The trail connection from the interpretive overlook on the southwest corner of the Bolsa Mesa across the existing tide gate levee (between inner and outer Bolsa) to the western portion of the loop trail will remain open. Culvert construction to restore muted tidal influence from outer Bolsa to the Pocket (between the flood channel and the Bolsa Mesa) will be of short duration and is not expected to close this trail connection.

(The Department of Fish and Game has separately scheduled repairs to the Ecological Reserve parking lots and to the boardwalk. This will result in closure of some of these facilities during some of the time that the restoration project is work also proceeding.)

The eastern portion of the loop trail will be raised, improved, and have a viewpoint constructed near the flood channel levee.

The south levee of the EGGW flood channel, from the loop trail east to the corner of the existing houses, will also be closed to pedestrian access for the duration of earthmoving construction. (These flood channel levees are not actually designated public access trails.) At this time, the restoration project will not conduct any work on the flood channel north levee or around the margins of the pocket. Once the restoration construction is complete, the south levee fence restrictions at the loop trail junction and the middle bridge will be removed. However, in order to protect the restored area and the continuing oil field operations, fences restricting access to the south levee from the houses to the middle bridge will not be removed.

The property just west of the houses and south of the flood channel (known as the Fieldstone property) is being acquired by the State Lands Commission and brought into the restoration project. At this time, it is partially fenced due to PCB contamination. The entire length of this property (roughly from Graham Street to the flood channel) will have a fence constructed along the property line next to the houses in order to maintain a safe construction area, while the PCB’s are removed and the groundwater barrier is constructed. The actual restoration work and public access ideas are yet to be developed, but habitat damaging activities, such as motorbikes, mountain bike jumps, loose dogs, and illegal dumping, will be curtailed.

Out on the State Beach, the construction area, including the most southerly restroom and parking lot will be closed to the public during construction. This is necessary to reconstruct the beach park exit road and bike path onto the new PCH bridge, construct the shore protection and jetties, stockpile rock for this work, and build up the beach. The bike path on the State beach will remain open but will be relocated, as needed, to avoid our jetty/inlet construction. The beach bike path will be permanently rerouted onto the PCH bridge deck but will be completely separated by barricades from the PCH traffic lanes.

Movement along the beach, past our construction will be allowed to continue until the PCH bridge and the new beach access path are completed. After the inlet is opened at the end of construction, beach users will need to cross the inlet on the bridge. There will be no public access under the bridge, water craft in the inlet, or fishing from the bridge.

PACIFIC COAST HIGHWAY DETOUR The Bolsa Chica Restoration Project will reconnect the restored tidal basin to the ocean with an inlet channel across Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) and the south end of Bolsa Chica State Beach. A new PCH bridge over the inlet will be constructed before the inlet is constructed. In order to build the PCH bridge and its approaches, the project must divert PCH traffic to a detour. We will build detour lanes immediately east/inland of the existing right of way.
The PCH construction zone will extend from Seapoint Ave. intersection north about 4,000 feet. The detour speed will be 45 mph and will not have bike lane striping. Existing PCH has a speed limit of 55 mph, does not have designated bike lanes, but does have wide shoulders. While the detour will have two NB lanes and two SB lanes, it will not have wide shoulders and will be lined with barricades. We will attempt to encourage cyclists to use the beach bike path and discourage bicycle transit through the PCH detour for safety reasons. For some of the construction time, we will have a temporary traffic signal at the north end of our PCH construction (about 4000 feet north of the Seapoint intersection) for trucks hauling rock and pilings.

The bike path on the State beach will also remain open but will be relocated, as needed, to avoid our jetty/inlet construction, until the PCH bridge is completed. Then, the beach bike path will be permanently rerouted onto the PCH bridge deck but will be completely separated by barricades from the PCH traffic lanes. The duration of PCH bridge construction will likely be Oct 2004 to Oct 2005.
BOLSA CHICA PEDESTRIAN DETOURS In order to construct the berm around the full tidal basin, the eastern half of the public Ecological Reserve loop trail (from the east boardwalk landing to the East Garden Grove-Wintersberg (EGGW) flood channel will be closed to the public. This is expected to persist for about one year. The trail connection from the interpretive overlook on the southwest corner of the Bolsa Mesa across the existing tide gate levee (between inner and outer Bolsa) to the western portion of the loop trail will remain open. Culvert construction to restore muted tidal influence from outer Bolsa to the Pocket (between the flood channel and the Bolsa Mesa) will be of short duration and is not expected to close this trail connection.
(The Department of Fish and Game has separately scheduled repairs to the Ecological Reserve parking lots and to the boardwalk. This will result in closure of some of these facilities during some of the time that the restoration project is work also proceeding.)
The eastern portion of the loop trail will be raised, improved, and have a viewpoint constructed near the flood channel levee. The south levee of the EGGW flood channel, from the loop trail east to the corner of the existing houses, will also be closed to pedestrian access for the duration of earthmoving construction. (These flood channel levees are not actually designated public access trails.) At this time, the restoration project will not conduct any work on the flood channel north levee or around the margins of the pocket. Once the restoration construction is complete, the south levee fence restrictions at the loop trail junction and the middle bridge will be removed. However, in order to protect the restored area and the continuing oil field operations, fences restricting access to the south levee from the houses to the middle bridge will not be removed.
The property just west of the houses and south of the flood channel (known as the Fieldstone property) is being acquired by the State Lands Commission and brought into the restoration project. At this time, it is partially fenced due to PCB contamination. The entire length of this property (roughly from Graham Street to the flood channel) will have a fence constructed along the property line next to the houses in order to maintain a safe construction area, while the PCB’s are removed and the groundwater barrier is constructed. The actual restoration work and public access ideas are yet to be developed, but habitat damaging activities, such as motorbikes, mountain bike jumps, loose dogs, and illegal dumping, will be curtailed.
Out on the State Beach, the construction area, including the most southerly restroom and parking lot will be closed to the public during construction. This is necessary to reconstruct the beach park exit road and bike path onto the new PCH bridge, construct the shore protection and jetties, stockpile rock for this work, and build up the beach. The bike path on the State beach will remain open but will be relocated, as needed, to avoid our jetty/inlet construction. The beach bike path will be permanently rerouted onto the PCH bridge deck but will be completely separated by barricades from the PCH traffic lanes.
Movement along the beach, past our construction will be allowed to continue until the PCH bridge and the new beach access path are completed. After the inlet is opened at the end of construction, beach users will need to cross the inlet on the bridge. There will be no public access under the bridge, water craft in the inlet, or fishing from the bridge.