Alta develops long term mobility solutions along California's Pacific Coast Highway.

Alta worked with Caltrans as part of a team to develop interim and long-term solutions for climate resilience and active transportation along the Pacific Coast Highway (Highway 1) through Ventura County. The project team assessed existing and future risks in climate resilience and active transportation safety and mobility. Alta identified bicycle and pedestrian mobility needs and made recommendations that address these needs while aligning with climate change adaptation measures. Alta’s role involved establishing techniques and planning-level concepts that account for the proposed resilience measures while also better accommodating the safety and mobility needs of bicyclists and pedestrians along the corridor.

Implementation Process: These recommendations established a decision-making toolkit for Caltrans to apply to this and other sections of the Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) and similarly threatened roadways throughout the state. Resilience measures address sea level rise, coastal cliff stability, storm surge and over washing, among other climate change impacts. Active transportation recommendations integrate with all of the proposed climate solutions.

Lessons Learned: Climate resilience measures that account for safe bicycle and pedestrian mobility can be applied in a variety of contexts beyond those seen on this coastline corridor. For instance, techniques developed in this project also have applicability in mountain and rural communities that draw pedestrian and bicyclist activity but also face erosion threats