How Will Cars Get In and Out at New Devil's Slide Park?

Construction on the new Devil’s Slide Coast park is well underway, but the recent paving of the road from Highway 1 at the twin bridges in Pacifica leading to the area where eventually a parking lot will be installed has some people wondering, how exactly are cars and pedestrians going to enter and exit the park?

For example, how will a driver who drove into the parking lot on the Pacifica (north) end get back out onto Highway 1 to go back towards Pacifica? Or how will a driver traveling from Half Moon Bay be able to safely make a left hand turn across Highway 1 into the Devil's Slide parking area? 

To better understand the plans, Caltrans project engineer Mohammad G. Sahibzadah sent Patch the plans for the north and south cul-de-sac entrance and exit at Highway 1 at the Tom Lantos Tunnels.

According to Sahibzadah, there will be stoplights, stop signs and pedestrian cross walks with push button flashing beacons to warn cars to yield to pedestrians.

Here’s what to expect:

From the north end (Pacifica) of the Devil’s Slide Tunnels:

1.    When traveling on Highway 1 south toward Half Moon Bay, a right hand turn can be made before the bridges and entrance to the tunnels into the park’s parking area.

2.     To return to Pacifica, a stop sign will allow traffic to turn left back onto Highway 1 toward Pacifica or to head south, at the stop sign drivers can make a right hand turn.

3.     There will be no left hand turn heading north into the parking area. The visibility there, according Sahibzadah, will not allow for a safe left-hand turn.

4.     A pedestrian cross walk with flashing lights along the walkway will allow pedestrians to cross Highway 1 and access a bus stop and the Pacific Coast Trial.

From the south end (Half Moon Bay) of the Devil’s Slide Tunnels:

1.    When traveling on Highway 1 north toward Pacifica, a left hand turn can be made into the park’s parking area at a stoplight, which will also accommodate pedestrians crossing Highway 1 with a push button flashing beacons. A traffic light at the tunnel entrance will stop traffic heading south to allow cars to make this left hand turn.

2.    To return to Half Moon Bay, cars can make a right hand turn at the stoplight at the parking area or a left hand turn across Highway 1 to head back to Pacifica.

3.    Cars will be able to travel between the south end parking area and the north end parking area along the Devil’s Slide coastline outside of the tunnel parallel to the trail on a 2-lane road connecting the two parking areas.

Both parking areas will have RV and handicap accessible parking as well trash receptacles and a 6-inch high concrete sidewalk.

See the plans for yourself by clicking on the attached PDFs files.

What do you think of Caltrans plans for the parking area at the Devil's Slide Coast park area?