Drivers cruising a stretch of California’s most iconic coastal highway will need to slow down — as officials roll out a lower speed limit along a scenic stretch of Pacific Coast Highway.
The California Department of Transportation has reduced the speed limit on a 5.1-mile stretch of Highway 1 in Big Sur from 55 mph to 45 mph in both directions, the state agency said in a news release.
The change affects a winding portion of the roadway in Monterey County running south of Coast Road to north of Garrapata Creek Bridge‚ a heavily traveled corridor popular with tourists, cyclists and sightseers.
California transportation officials are lowering the speed limit on a stretch of the state’s most iconic highway. Markus – stock.adobe.com
It will be lowered from 55 mph to 45 mph. Getty ImagesCalTrans officials say the slower speed is intended to improve safety and create a more “orderly flow of traffic” along the narrow two-lane highway.
The decision follows an engineering and traffic survey that evaluated roadway conditions, crash history and how drivers interact with the coastal route.
Officials considered factors including parked vehicles in roadside pullouts, pedestrian crossings, cyclists sharing the roadway and tight curves along the rugged coastline.
“By implementing the recommended lower speed limits, we can effectively promote the orderly movement of traffic while creating a safer environment for all users of Highway 1,” California Highway Patrol Capt. Erica Elias said in the statement.
The change affects a winding portion of the roadway in Monterey County running south of Coast Road to north of Garrapata Creek Bridge. Nick Fox – stock.adobe.com
The stretch is a heavily traveled corridor popular with tourists, cyclists and sightseers. travelview – stock.adobe.com“Slower speeds will afford motorists greater reaction time in navigating the roadway, reducing the likelihood of collision and enhancing overall road safety,” Elias added.
CalTrans said updated speed limit signs are already in place and enforcement is effective immediately.
State transportation officials say speed zoning decisions rely on engineering analysis, the California Vehicle Code and federal roadway safety guidance as part of broader efforts to reduce serious crashes and fatalities on California roads.
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