800 West Cliff Drive Road Realignment Design

West Cliff Drive is a scenic coastal road along the west side of the City of Santa Cruz that serves as a popular route for visitors and locals alike for recreation and access to key community destinations such as the Santa Cruz Wharf, Santa Cruz Surfing Museum, and Natural Bridges State Beach.

In recent years, the City of Santa Cruz has been impacted by several large winter storms and high wave events that have threatened the integrity of our coastline infrastructure along West Cliff Drive. The 800 West Cliff Drive Road Realignment Design project aims to reroute a section of West Cliff Drive inland near a vulnerable portion of the coastline that was damaged in the December 2023 and January 2024 storm events. The new road alignment would be located on property that is currently part of Lighthouse Field State Beach Park. The added road set back would provide a buffer for the road to account for the anticipated natural erosion of the area based on 50 and 100 year erosion models.

Through the local, State and Federal disaster declarations, the City can access emergency repair funding from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA).

The City has been in contact with CA State Parks to explore the feasibility of a procuring the required right-of-way for the road realignment.

The City of Santa Cruz has initiated community and agency engagement and presented concept plans to the Santa Cruz City Council on September 10, 2024, community discussion meetings, and Coastal Commission staff.

In general, the purpose of this RFP is to select a qualified professional engineering-led consultant team to support the City with services that include but are not limited to: survey, geotechnical, land procurement/easement assistance, environmental clearance, permitting, providing design and specifications for all civil and traffic modifications/improvements, restoration and design support during construction, and public outreach support Depending on budget constraints, the consultant may be also asked to assist with construction management and project closeout.

The City of Santa Cruz was incorporated in 1866 and formed its current charter in 1948. It is governed under a Council/Manager form of government. A Mayor and six Council members set policy for the City and a City Manager serves as chief administrator of those policies. The City is located on the coast, 75 miles south of San Francisco on the northern edge of the Monterey Bay. It encompasses 15.8 square miles with cultural and ethnic diversity among its population of 65,000. Santa Cruz is part of the National Marine Sanctuary and is a popular tourist destination owing to its beaches, surf culture, and historical landmarks.

The City provides a full range of municipal services and facilities including a recreational wharf, public golf course, over thirteen hundred acres of open space, full beach services, refuse management, law enforcement, fire protection, and water and wastewater utilities. The City is also host to University of California Santa Cruz, the Santa Cruz Harbor, and the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk amusement park.

The City has secured funding from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) to fund a portion of this design project.