Mendocino Coast residents discuss roads at risk from sea level rise

FORT BRAGG, CA., 4/2/26 — About 15 people gathered in Fort Bragg on Thursday to weigh in on which coastal roads in Mendocino County are most at risk from sea level rise. Many in the audience said that they had already completed an online community survey that closed this February.

The meeting, hosted by the Mendocino Council of Governments, was one of three held recently and is part of an ongoing effort to identify and prioritize vulnerable roadway segments along the county’s coastline. Other meetings were held in Point Arena and virtually on Zoom.

“This is a planning-level study,” said project analyst Hector Ortega. “It does not include construction. It is intended to guide future planning decisions and help position projects for funding.”

Consultants on the study, which is being conducted with the cooperation of seven organizations, presented an overview of the project, which is funded by a Caltrans grant and will narrow a list of 23 most-at-risk road segments to five priority sites for more detailed analysis. Other organizations involved include the Mendocino County Department of Transportation and Terraphase Engineering.

The study, which assumes a sea level rise of three feet by 2050, focuses on city- and county-maintained roads and does not include Highway 1, a point of concern for some attendees. Officials clarified that while Highway 1 is not part of the study, Caltrans will receive information on any at-risk segments identified, and said that this reflects a separate process rather than a lack of prioritizing the highway.

The meeting was structured as a presentation followed by a brief question and answer session and a hands-on feedback exercise, where attendees ranked priority sites and suggested possible solutions.

Why are just five road segments slated for analysis?

Some audience members raised concerns about the study’s narrow scope, particularly the decision to focus on just five locations.

One participant said that while he understands physical limitations, he was concerned about shrinking the number of assessments to five road segments, and that he was also concerned about the fact that private roads were not included in the study. 

Project consultants responded that while only five sites will receive detailed feasibility analysis, all 23 identified locations will be included in the final report. One consultant said that all of the sites have been identified as vulnerable and that information will be shared with appropriate agencies and departments.

The study uses a combination of technical analysis and community input to rank sites, with criteria including traffic volume, roadway importance, vulnerability to sea level rise, and feasibility of potential fixes. The most heavily weighted criteria, however, is criticality, meaning that if a particular segment or roadway provides the only access to homes or communities, it moves up the list. 

Presenters included slides that demonstrate the study’s process, and displayed a mapping tool that allows residents to see projections of sea level rise on specific areas in the county. Both the slides and the mapping tool are available on the project’s website. 

Community feedback has already influenced the process. According to survey results shared at the meeting, Point Cabrillo Drive was the most frequently identified priority, followed by sites such as Old Coast Highway in Westport and Port and Lighthouse roads near Point Arena.

Attendees shared concerns about erosion, flooding and maintaining access to homes and emergency routes, particularly during storms and high tides.

If you identify it, funding will come

The next phase of the project will involve selecting five priority sites, followed by feasibility studies that explore options such as reinforcing bluffs, elevating roadways or relocating road segments.

While no construction funding is included, officials said the goal is to prepare projects that can compete for future state or federal grants.

Howard Dashiell, head of Mendocino County’s Department of Transportation, explained from a seat in the audience that it’s important for these types of studies to take place before funding becomes available, so that the information is available in applying for new funding opportunities. 

“I’m often criticized for doing a study when there’s no money to actually build anything,” Dashiell said. “My answer is always that if we don’t do the study, if we don’t identify what we need, we won’t be ready if funding ever becomes available.” 

A final report is expected later this year. The Mendocino County Council of Governments is funded by federal, state and local transportation funds, including local sales taxes. The group serves as the county’s regional transportation planning agency.

The 23 road segments identified by the consultants, as well as the virtual meeting on Tuesday and other material relating to the study is available here.