The scope of Caltrans’ major pavement rehab project (from Wavecrest Rd, HMB, to Marine Bl, at the south end of Moss Beach) is to restore the facility to good repair, improve roadway safety, upgrade drainage systems, enhance pedestrian & bike access, and upgrade existing traffic system infrastructure.  Upon appeal of County and HMB CDP approvals, the CA Coastal Commission took jurisdiction at 11/14/2024 hearing and approved the CDP with added Conditions of Approval to address coastal access parking in the Surfers’ Beach vicinity.

Special Conditions added by CCC on appeal:

2. Public Access and Parking Improvements. WITHIN ONE YEAR OF CDP APPROVAL (i.e., by November 14, 2025), the Permittee shall submit a plan, for the review and written approval of the Executive Director, that will provide public access improvements supporting at least 75 free public parking spaces in the area near Highway 1 at Surfer’s Beach. The plan may provide such improved public access improvements via any combination of the following, in order of preference: creation of new parking lots/areas in the Caltrans right-of-way or the extension of pavement (and any necessary realignment) along Highway 1 to provide on-highway parking; creation of new parking areas in conjunction with other public entitles (e.g. the Harbor District); and improvements to the parking in the Obispo Road dirt parking lot and the extension of a trail to the existing Coronado Road crosswalk or installation of a new crosswalk. In all cases, convenient and safe sidewalk access along and/or crosswalk access across Highway 1 from such parking spaces to the California Coastal Trail and the beach shall be provided. The Executive Director approved plan shall be implemented and the improvements made available as soon as possible, but no later than two years from CDP approval (i.e., by November 14, 2026) and at least prior to the completion of construction.

In the event the Permittee cannot complete the improvements by the deadlines above, the Permittee shall return the informal shoulder parking on Highway 1. In this event, within 3 years from permit issuance (Nov. 14, 2027) the Permittee shall complete or fund an off-highway bike and pedestrian path that provides through cycling access through the Surfers Beach Corridor (or along Obispo Road) from Coronado Street to at least Capistrano Road.  

3. Long-Term Adaptation. Nothing in the CDP shall alter the Permittee’s prior requirement to submit a long-term plan that addresses the acute erosion issues affecting Highway 1 in the Surfer’s Beach area by June 12, 2025 pursuant to Special Condition 9 of CDP Amendment No. 1-98-057-A3. However, this CDP does require that the Permittee include in that plan provisions for accommodating multimodal access along Highway 1, including separated bike and pedestrian trails and enhanced bike lanes on the highway itself, as well public parking arrangements that can maintain adequate levels of public parking in the area sufficient to meet public demand, including with reference to the requirements of this CDP.  

— Project page with links to source documents —

Also of note in the CCC staff report discussion: "To be clear, all of these improvements are probably best understood as temporary, as ultimately this stretch of highway will likely need to be relocated inland or substantially modified due to coastal hazard risks at Surfer’s Beach, including ongoing erosion that is accelerating with sea level rise. In fact, Caltrans is already undertaking, as required by an existing CDP (1-98-057-A3), sea level rise adaptation planning for this stretch of highway, with an analysis and plan due June 2025, where Caltrans has already dedicated funds to a potential adaptation project here, with project development planning underway. Thus, all of the improvements associated with the project, including any offsetting parking improvements, mentioned above are really interim measures pending an adaptation project, where the latter could include realignments, causeways, or other significant alternatives."