Half Moon Bay Coastside Chamber: Community Information: Medians

	Median Donations
	Our Highway One medians are ugly! They drive tourists right through our town without even giving them the opportunity to think about stopping or even looking for our wonderful historic downtown Main Street and fabulous restaurants and lodging. And what's more, they are unsightly to those of use who live here. Several generous Coastsiders have promised their time, equipment, and expertise to help the beautification of the Highway One medians become a reality, and they've offered it all on a volunteer basis!
	The medians won't cost us $1 million as they would if we were bidding the entire job out, but it will cost. So, please, keep your eye out for the donation boxes that will be in various shops on the Coastside and we ask you to PLEASE, give generously and help us help the Highway One medians grow! The Chamber plans to erect a dedicated sign to list any large donors and those that made this project a reality.

	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 - June, 2008
	Many of you are aware that C/CAG has given the city $150,000 for the median project. That will be put toward the Highway One/Highway 92 medians and we will add to that fund what is needed for completion. We hope to continue this partnership to the Kelly Avenue/Highway One medians, and use funds we have collected together with grants the city can obtain to complete that section. JUNE, 2007 We are there! We can do the medians! We have all the necessary permits and plans (thank you Steve, and Kikuchi & Associates for the dedication and discounts)! We have the water hook-up, thank you CCWD. We have Mark Stoloski with Stoloski and Gonzales taking the water under the highway to the medians. We have Jimmy Rice of Rice Soil Farm ready to bring in the topsoil. We have Dick DeAtley with Pilarcitos Quarry ready to give us the rock needed at a discount. And, after numerous bid comparisons we have hired a landscaper/general contractor! Because of the generosity of all of you, one major anonymous benefactor, Nurserymen’s Exchange who will be getting us the plants, and the discounts from the above mentioned people, we only need to raise $150,000 to complete the job. I know, why so much? Well, that is because in order to get the job done, we have to meet the requirements of CalTrans and our permit. These requirements are very stringent in order to ensure the longevity of the project and the safety of the workers. If the project is not done right the plants die and we have wasted a lot of time, effort, and money. There are drainage issues because of the creek, and rock French drains because of the gas and oil run-off from the roads. There is also extensive grading and irrigation to be done, and there must be traffic control for each of these steps to insure the safety of the crews. And, of course, everyone must carry adequate insurance or risk losing their company to a lawsuit due to litigation in the event of an injury! Welcome to the 21st century. Folks, we are ready to complete this job, but we can’t even start the final stage until we have most of the money, CalTrans will not allow us to. And the project should only take 60-90 days and we can’t risk not being able to pay the bills since the chamber is a non-profit as well and doesn’t have the money to cover any short fallings. I implore you to help us raise this money. Perhaps you know of a person or company who would like to get involved? This is a very important project, not just because our medians are ugly and we don’t like looking at them. This is important because we have businesses that are trying to survive. We have a Main Street that is competing with shopping malls and big box stores over the hill. Do you know how many people call, write or e-mail me that they passed right through our town because the highway was so ugly they didn’t think we had anything to offer? Some of those people state they would have spent the night in one of our hotels and gone out to a restaurant for dinner. We are losing tax dollars that can help support our Coastside and pay our policeman and pave our streets! Call me at (650) 726-8380 with any suggestions.
	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