Big Sur Resupply a big success

March 3, 2017

Caitlin Conrad, KSBW

BIG SUR, Calif. —

Monterey County airlifted in supplies to people trapped in Big Sur Friday.

For many it is the first time they've had fresh food since the middle of February when Pfeiffer Canyon Bridge was closed.

"What you realize is there are families that are split apart, there are kids who aren't going to school because of this, and there are businesses that are suffering," said U.S. Rep. Jimmy Panetta.

Panetta was on the ground Friday to see the resupply happen along with fellow politician Monterey County Supervisor Mary Adams.

Big Sur is in Adams' district and she even drove one of the county trucks loaded with goods down to the state park.

The supervisor also made sure the estimated 35 students stuck south of the bridge closure received homework packets from their teachers.

"I saw a note that one of the teachers had written that said ‘Sarah we miss you in science class,' so I think people can understand exactly what we're dealing with, these are human lives," Adams said.

The Friday delivery could be the only opportunity for residents to resupply for at least two weeks. The hope is the southern route out of Big Sur will soon open.

Caltrans has been busy at Paul's Slide where the southern closure is located. Crews are trying to get repairs done by March 13, 2017.

At Paul's slide one lane of the road is passable but it is in poor shape. The other lane is covered by a rockslide leaving just 11 feet of cleared roadbed.

If the passable lane at Paul's Slide fails it would create another long-term problem on Highway 1.

Pfeiffer Canyon Bridge is the cause of the closure to the north and it is a long-term problem, one that could take more than a year to fix because Caltrans has to build a new bridge.

The failed bridge is sitting on an active landslide and is so unsafe people are not even allowed to walk on it. Caltrans plans to demolish the bridge and rebuild it but has not released a timeline.

Malais said it took two weeks to plan the Big Sur Resupply but now he knows they can do it. He said if no supply routes open up in two weeks the county may effort another delivery in the future.

"The people that live here are not asking for anyone to bail them out they're just asking for a little help," he said.

The estimated cost of the Big Sur Resupply is $20,000 out of the county's general fund.