Holman Highway Roundabout Update
There aren’t that many ways in and out of Pacific Grove, so one of the big concerns is how a project like the Holman Highway roundabout is affecting tourist traffic.
Transportation managers say they’re working to minimize the impact. The opinion of local citizens regarding the highway differ.
“Little old ladies are going to kill themselves, it’s going to be a sea of glass” said a Highway 68 driver in May of 2016.
A dramatic take on the future outcome of the Holman Highway roundabout, but one we first heard last year when we spoke with drivers about the project.
Fast forward to April 2017 and construction is still underway.
The project was originally supposed to be completed this spring but that has been delayed because of recent winter storms.
“Right now we’re about halfway through the project, the project should wrap up sometime near August, September is what we’re thinking now” said construction manager Bobby Pentorali.
Those months are busy tourist times for Pacific Grove. The Transportation Agency for Monterey County says it’s taking concerns from businesses and residents into consideration when scheduling the construction. Doing heavy construction work in the evening hours.
“[We’ve made] a big effort to minimize impacts to the traveling public in Pacific Grove, Monterey, Pebble Beach and Carmel” said Ariana Green, Associate Transportation Planner with TAMC.
Nancy Alvarez, owner of gift shop Nancy’s Attic doesn’t think that the roundabout project will keep tourists from her store.
“I don’t think it will affect it that much” Alvarez says. “[If] people want to come to the peninsula, they’ll come to the peninsula and they’ll deal with it. I’m concerned about my employees and the locals who have to deal with it every day.”
And transportation managers say once the roundabout is finished, it will eventually benefit locals.
“One of the major benefits of a roundabout is that you can get more vehicles through a roundabout than you could a signal” Green says. “So it’s really going to help traffic flow through that area on Highway 68.
TAMC adds that expected work the week of April 11 – 14. Expected construction dates are April 12, 13 and 17.
