800 West Cliff Drive Roadway Realignment Project

The 800 West Cliff Drive Roadway Realignment Project, managed by the City of Santa Cruz Public Works Department, is a presolicitation effort to address critical infrastructure instability caused by high wave and storm events in late 2023 and early 2024. The project aims to protect the roadway and a multiuse pathway from an eroded scarp that has encroached within 21 feet of the existing road. The primary scope of work involves shifting a 600-foot section of the roadway approximately 60 feet inland to move it out of the 100-year erosion zone, while shifting the adjacent multiuse pathway approximately 30 feet inland. This realignment requires right-of-way acquisition from State Parks and includes additional deliverables such as stormwater drainage and utility improvements, minor parking lot upgrades, the installation of new signage, fencing, and benches, and the removal of old asphalt followed by site restoration. The project is located at 800 West Cliff Drive in Santa Cruz, California, specifically within the southern portion of Lighthouse Field State Beach. Environmental reviews, including a Mitigated Negative Declaration approved on August 20, 2026, determined that there are no significant environmental effects requiring an Environmental Impact Report, provided that specific mitigation measures for biological and cultural resources are implemented. These measures include pre-activity surveys for nesting birds and roosting bats and compliance with the National Historic Preservation Act and California Public Resources Code. Key coordinating agencies include California State Parks, Caltrans, and the California Coastal Commission, with Tim Wong serving as the primary point of contact for the City of Santa Cruz.