After weeks of public outcry and pressure from local officials, Caltrans announced this week that it is developing plans to address a slippery section of state Highway 92 near Half Moon Bay that has recently seen a trend in vehicle spinouts.
Heading eastbound on Highway 92, also known as state Route 92, from Half Moon Bay, drivers must maneuver a hairpin turn located just before the summit and intersection with Skyline Boulevard.
At a section of the road where it begins to straighten out after the curve, water spilling onto the road from a naturally occurring spring has posed a danger to some drivers.
“Due to a natural spring on the hillside along state Route 92 near state Route 35, just before the summit, water had accumulated in the area,” said Caltrans spokesperson Jeneane Crawford in a statement on Wednesday.
Over the last several weeks, community posts on social media have complained of multiple accidents of cars and motorcycles losing control in the same spot when water seeps onto the road.
The water has since been diverted from flowing beneath Highway 92, and Caltrans will continue to monitor the area as needed, Crawford said.
On Tuesday, San Mateo County politicians issued urgent statements demanding that Caltrans fix the road with permanent solutions.
“The issue requires Caltrans immediate action, before someone is seriously injured,” said District 3 Supervisor Ray Mueller. “Delay in fixing an area where cars are slipping off the roadway at freeway speeds is unacceptable.”
“Caltrans must treat this as a top priority,” said Assemblymember Marc Berman, D-Menlo Park. “A recurring hazard on a critical highway like 92 can’t be dismissed or delayed. We need clear signage, improved drainage, or whatever is necessary to make this road safe — and we need it now.”
Crawford said that Caltrans is working on plans to install new drainage pipes as well as repaving the cracks where water has been seeping to the surface from underground.
The timeline of the repairs has yet to be announced.
“Caltrans will release a timeline on this project when the draft plans are complete,” Crawford said.