Highway One Medians - Half Moon Bay Coastside Chamber

	MEDIAN UPDATE - June 2011
	What’s Next With the Highway One Medians? By Charise Hale McHugh, ACE, President/CEO More good news on the Highway One median front! Very soon you will see another phase of planting to the medians. I am happy to announce that the Coastside Chamber and City of Half Moon Bay will collaborate again later this month to complete the median from Highway 92 to North Main Street. The Chamber’s Foundation had about $30,000 in donations left for the medians and the city had about $20,000 left from the grant they received for the original median project that will be used to complete the north median. We started the incomplete north median and the one just south of Kelly Avenue because our 2011 dollar went further than the 2007 dollar when the original quote for the 92 to Kelly Avenue median was priced out. So, the strategy of not having those medians completed and only partially started worked in our favor. It drove some city officials nuts to have them half done….so this next phase is possible much sooner than we had planned! Will we have enough to do the median from Kelly Avenue south? Unfortunately, no! The city will apply for another grant, but we do not expect the next grant to be as easy to secure. The original grant was easier because we had a “shovel ready” job on short notice and C/CAG had money they had to use for highway beautification. Now, there are several cities with “shovel ready” jobs applying. The Beautification Committee will be working on putting bark down on the medians that are still an eyesore. With all the problems that cities are having, it is nice that our community is collaborating on this project. Let me remind you once again this is not just so we can look at nice medians instead of weeds and garbage, although I don’t think any of us are complaining. But, the practical matter is that a pretty entrance to a town entices the visitor off the highway and into the downtown area where they are more apt to find a reason to shop, dine, or stay. So, look at it as an economic boost to your community! We need to start saving for the Kelly Avenue south median. Don’t you want to help now that you have seen how nice they enhance our community?

	DONATIONS
	All donations to the Highway One Median Endowment fund are tax deductible (FED TAX ID #76-0796851). If you would like to send a donation via personal or business check, please make the check out to:
	Half Moon Bay Coastside Community Foundation 235 Main Street Half Moon Bay, CA 94019
	See the Conceptual Plans Now!

	UPDATE - November 2010
	Medians to be Planted on Highway One Thanks to Chamber, City Efforts Chamber’s Hard Work for 14.5 Years Finally Pays Off The Chamber started the Median project in 1996 and was proud to be a part of the Median Landscaping Groundbreaking on Monday, November 15, 2010! In the last 14.5 years, the Chamber has: - Collected more than $180,000 in their 501(c)3 foundation account for this project. Thank you Cameron Palmer, Kevin Palmer, and Pricilla Klass for holding fundraisers for us. And, a big thank you to a man who really made this possible, Jude Damasco, known throughout this project as our Sugar Daddy! - Convinced CalTrans to allow Half Moon Bay to plant the middle medians on a federal highway. Thank you, Marina Fraser for going toBijan Sartipi with president/CEO Charise McHugh to state the case for Half Moon Bay. Not sure if they wore him down, wore him out or finally convinced him, but he granted Half Moon Bay the ability to get them planted! - Obtained a permit from CalTrans with the help of the city…twice! Thank you, Paul Nagangast and Mo Sharma. - Paid for a water hook-up from Coastside County Water District (CCWD). - Their foundation paid for and had the water taken under Highway One to the median opposite Holiday Inn. Thank you to Stoloski & Gonzales General Engineers. - Hired, paid, and worked with Kikuchi & Associates to draw up the blue print plans and plant list for all four medians. Special thanks to Steve Kikuchi and more recently Tom Conroy. - Worked with the city to obtain the City/County Association of Governments (C/CAG) grant. Thank you Rich Napier and Mo Sharma. - Worked with the city to update and obtain the current permit. Thank you again, Mo Sharma, Sindhi Macela and Curt Luck. - And, now it has all come to fruition! There are a great deal of people who have supported this project, not the least of which is the Chamber Board of Directors and the Chamber staff. The Chamber truly believe this is an important project to the city in getting tourists to turn off Highway One to seek out local hotels, restaurants and the downtown area. The Chamber thanks everyone in the community that has supported the project throughout the years, and hopes they will continue to support the project so that all of the medians can be seen planted in the future!
	Frequently Asked Questions
	1. Why can't we just plant them without all this fuss, other cities do? CalTrans has strict rules and regulations mainly to protect people in and out of their cars from being injured. This is a state highway with a speed limit of 55 mph. If it weren't for the stop lights, we would not have gotten permission at all. No other highway medians are being planted in the state. 2. Who will maintain them? The City of Half Moon Bay has budgeted annually for this and that is why they hold the "Encroachment Permit." 3. Why do we need water, why not plant indigenous plants? We are planting native plants and those that we know do well in our climate. But, they will need water for at least the first few years until they are established. Please remember they have to withstand oil and gas run-off. 4. Why is it taking so long? Caltrans will not grant permission without a set of landscaping and engineering plans. After approving those, they granted the encroachment permit, we could not get water until the city legally had the right to ask (hence the Encroachment Permit), we can't prepare the soil until we have water to the medians, and lastly we can not plant until we have irrigation. This is simplifying it some, but yes bureaucracy is alive and well. Also, we need more money to complete this first phase. 5. What are the phases? Phase 1 are the medians on either side of Kelly Ave. Phase 2 are the medians at 92 and we are hoping most of those will be done during the Hwy 92 Improvement Project. Phase 3 would be in front of the firehouse, and those would be written into a development plan if North Wavecrest is ever developed, otherwise we will need to raise money for that phase as well. Phase 4 will be the medians in front of McDonald's. 6. Why can't we at least weed them in the meantime? We are afraid to do anything until we are ready to plant because that is what our permit is for. If anyone gets injured or anything goes wrong, our "Encroachment Permit" could be jeopardized. Fortunately CalTrans did mow last week and hopefully will also mow the southern portion soon. CalTrans has approved this project and is working with us to make it happen, but it is very complicated and mostly because no one wants to see anyone getting hurt while in the middle of a state highway. I am committed to seeing this project through, and if I get hit by a bus tomorrow I made my husband promise me that it would be completed! But all of you can help to! Please send a donation to HMB Coastside Community Foundation, 235 Main St., Half Moon Bay, CA 94019. For other questions or information call (650) 726-8380 or e-mail charise@hmbchamber.com.

	Conceptual Plans courtesy of Kikuchi & Associates Click on any photos to view a larger image.
	Highway One at South Main Street Median Before	Highway One at South Main Street Median After

	Highway One South at Kelly Avenue Median Before	Highway One South at Kelly Avenue Median After

	Highway One South at Highway 92 Median Before	Highway One South at Highway 92 Median After

	Highway One North at North Main Street Median Before	Highway One North at North Main Street Median After



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