“Overtourism is killing Big Sur” painted in Bixby Bridge parking lot

Traffic backed up for miles on Highway 1 in Big Sur, Wednesday, but tourists weren’t going to let it stop them.

” It’s not our fault that it’s taking so long. It’s the tourists. They’re stopping and taking pictures, ” said traffic director with KR Construction, Melissa Herrera.

Herrera has directed traffic out at Bixby Bridge for the past two months. She said she watches people ditch their cars in the middle of the road just to get the perfect picture.

Herrera said she isn’t the only one who has to deal with the chaos. She said people who live nearby are fed up. ” This one lady, I think she lives up here. She showed me her megaphone that she has in her car. She yells at people, ” said Herrera.

The California Highway Patrol found the words, ” overtourism is killing Big Sur, ” painted in yellow letters in the parking lot at Bixby Bridge. Some believe the bold statement was put there by locals. ” It’s too bad that people can’t feel welcome to come take in this beautiful area, ” said tourist, Chelsea Laqua .

Residents said they have watched tourism skyrocket over the past few years. They said the area is not built for the mass amount of people visiting it. ” The more people that come through here, the more different types of people that are going to come through. More crime, more thefts, ” said Chewy, a Big Sur native.

In June, California State Park rangers shot and killed a man who hikers said shot at them at Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park. Just this week, a lifeless body was found on Pfeiffer Beach.

” Once summer hits and there are mass amounts of traffic there are all these things that come up, ” said Chewy.

The California Highway Patrol is actively searching for the person(s) that vandalized the parking lot at Bixby Bride. If you have any information, you are asked to call the CHP at 831-770-8000.