Blogpost

Case Study: Paving New Paths in the County of Monterey

8.7 minute read

September 03, 2024

When we picture the California coastline, including Big Sur, State Route 1, and the 17 Mile Drive down the scenic route through Pebble Beach and Pacific Grove, we immediately recognize that these coastal and touristic gems are housed within the County of Monterey. Monterey County is filled with both natural and man-made beauty and is one of the original counties of California. Created in 1850 at the time of statehood, the County of Monterey began to pave its path forward serving as California’s first capital and decades later being home to almost a half million residents within its 3,200 square miles stretch.

Over the past decade, the County of Monterey has undergone significant changes to address various infrastructure needs and improve community facilities to preserve its core foundation and history. Among those were road and transportation projects requiring major road rehabilitation projects, public facilities upgrades, environmental and safety improvements, and beyond. At Harris & Associates, we understand what it means to preserve rich history. Since 1974, clients have trusted us to deliver on a broad range of services and our work with Monterey County is no different.

Our ongoing partnership with Monterey County exemplifies our commitment to providing comprehensive end-to-end solutions that address complex challenges. The work Harris has undertaken in Monterey County, showcases the best of us and our expertise in engineering, environmental compliance and preservation, and project management.

A Rocky Emergency

We like to say our relationship with Monterey County has been “rocky”, Rocky and Brandon Creek that is. In 2016, Big Sur suffered a historic one-two punch. The summer’s three-month-long Soberanes Fire was followed by a record-breaking rainy season. In the winter, with soil loosened by the fire, debris came down the mountain as runoff and clogged the culverts where Palo Colorado Road crosses Rocky Creek and Brandon Creek. The creek eventually blew out part of the road—cutting off 60 homes from stores, schools and workplaces.

Governor Brown and former President Trump declared the area, along with many others impacted by the weather, a disaster. Monterey County Public Works quickly addressed the emergency by establishing repairs along the half mile stretch of road as it raced to develop a permanent solution that would restore the road and improve crossings at both Rocky and Brandon Creeks. For this critical task, the County selected Harris & Associates to provide project management, environmental documentation and permitting, surveying, geotechnical assessment, preliminary design, community outreach and final PS&E.

Harris & Associates played a crucial role in repairing damage to Palo Colorado Road and the Rocky Creek and Brandon Creek culverts. This project required replacing existing pipe culverts with larger arch culverts and securing permits on an expedited schedule to restore access for residents and emergency responders.

Our challenges were laid out for us: First, design a constructible solution in a steep, narrow canyon with limited access. Second, find our balance within a changing environment given flooding and rapid construction timelines. Lastly, obtaining multiple regulatory permits, including CEQA documentation, Coastal Development Permits, and Section 7 Biological Assessments. Our team’s vast experience with post-disaster restoration gave County officials confidence we could meet an accelerated schedule. Our team not only secured the required permits on time and within budget but also conducted pre-construction surveys and continued to provide mitigation monitoring for five years. Our collaborative approach ensured compliance with all regulatory requirements and facilitated FEMA reimbursement for the County.

Monterey County’s flooding days did not end there. In 2021, the community of Las Lomas expressed concerns about periodic flooding from Hall Road to Thomas Road, and the County of Monterey began planification around drainage improvements through a number of projects, including at least one emergency project, the Hall Road Emergency Culvert Repair Project.

The County of Monterey turned to Harris & Associates as a continued trusted advisor and partner in providing environmental permitting and biological monitoring services for the Las Lomas Drainage Project, which includes the installation of new storm drainage infrastructure. Harris managed the installation of reinforced concrete pipes, manholes, junction structures, catch basins, and more. Moreover, we managed the earthwork, utility relocation, traffic control measures, along with the extension of existing permits and ensuring regulatory compliance throughout the construction period.

Forging New Plans Forward

While Monterey County has had their share of rainy days, there have also been dry spells and water shortages. The County of Monterey's General Plan - specifically the 6th Cycle Housing Element, Safety Element, and a new Environmental Justice (EJ) Element - needed to be revised and revisited as the County navigate significant challenges with water availability constraints impacting site selection for the Housing Element Update (HEU). We were honored to lead community outreach efforts, developed public engagement plans and incorporated extensive feedback from staff and the community into the draft sections of the Housing Element.

By working collaboratively with the County and the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD), we set realistic expectations and developed an innovative sites inventory methodology.

This methodology aligned with the State’s Site Inventory Guidebook, enabling the County to meet their Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA) despite water shortages. Our ongoing efforts and expertise ensure the County’s compliance with state requirements and the successful completion of these critical updates.

Re-paving Historic Roads and Greens

Located 5 miles east from Highway 1 on Carmel Valley Road, we reach CSA-17 known as Rancho Tierra Grande. In early 2022, the County of Monterey decided to fund the rehabilitation of the roads within CSA-17 and CSA-25. Harris & Associates was once again identified as the trusted partner and became instrumental in updating the County’s Engineer’s Report and managing the Proposition 218 process for CSA-17, following the County’s decision to fund road rehabilitation without a special tax. Our work on the CSA-25 Pavement Improvement Project involved addressing drainage issues and recommending storm drain improvements to enhance roadway conditions. CSA-25 is located south of Carmel Valley Road at the intersection of Valley Greens Drive near the lower end of Carmel Valley, running through Carmel Valley Gold & Country Club. The area includes a golf course, 163 single-family residential lots, 42 condominium lots and a small number of commercial use parcels. Working on this road rehabilitation was our way to give back to the game of golf, providing maintenance services for the Valley Greens subdivisions and its respective golf course.

Harris understood early on road pavement was the goal, but not the only project deliverable. Updating construction costs and property owner information in the Engineer’s Report, managing the Proposition 218 election process, including legal notifications, community outreach and ballot tabulation, and conducting drainage analysis and designing storm drain improvements for problematic locations were among the services we scoped to beautify the roads again for Monterey County residents.

The completion of our services on CSA-17 and CSA-25 provided capacity and operational improvements to increase safety and improve road conditions across approximately 13,100 linear feet of two-lane roads within the CSA.

One Partnership, One Hundred Times

When we look back at our partnership with the County of Monterey, we can proudly look back at the 100+ projects we have serviced for public agencies across the Monterey Peninsula Region. Opportunities we do not take lightly or for granted as we help shape where a number of our employee-owners live and work. Because Monterey County is a diverse community with agricultural, rural areas as well as more suburban, urbanized areas, we see the County’s infrastructure projects reflect that diversity. Over the course of time, we have come to understand the community and the varied challenges within the County due to widespread water availability and other infrastructure constraints. We began identifying ourselves as a key player to providing critical infrastructure for the community.

Harris has helped empower the community with new critical infrastructure, helping build medical offices, judicial facilities, general office buildings, and community centers, including the East and West Wings Courthouse Renovation, the Alisal Integrated Health Center, and the Schilling Place Tenant Improvements.

For the $36M East and West Wings Courthouse Renovation, we coordinated the demolition and installation of MEP pathways, ensuring the project was completed on schedule and within budget.

For the Alisal Integrated Health Center in Salinas, we supported the ground-up project including the construction of the new 19,000+ square foot Behavioral Health Center for children and developed an effective and complex construction phasing plan to show how to adequately provide access and security to the Youth Center during the course of the project’s construction.

Lastly, for the Schilling Place Tenant Improvements project, we supported a 4,000+ square foot remodel of County-owned administrative office space which included substantial IT, audio/visual and exterior ADA building upgrades.

As we continue to pave new paths in Monterey County and form a stronger partnership and community relationships, our unwavering commitment to the community and its rich history remains at the forefront of our mission. The projects we've undertaken—whether restoring roads in Big Sur, enhancing drainage in Las Lomas, updating critical housing elements, or providing state-of-the-art facilities—demonstrate our dedication to creating lasting, positive impacts. Each initiative not only showcases our expertise and team’s dedication to providing exceptional service and value to our clients, but also reflects our passion for serving Monterey County’s diverse and dynamic population. At Harris & Associates, we look forward to the future, ready to tackle new challenges and contribute to the ongoing growth and prosperity of this remarkable region. We look forward to continuing our partnership with Monterey County and contributing to the region's ongoing development and resilience.