And Another One Bites The Dust!

Redwood Road over near Castro Valley from the Marciel gate to the EBMUD Chabot staging area is now closed to all traffic. Winter storms had led to erosion of the edge of the roadway, which falls precipitously into San Leandro reservoir, but the area was only coned off and the roadway was narrowed to one lane. However last night the road partially collapsed and apparently the undercutting of the roadway is endangering the entire path of travel. You can read about it here.

Roger and I went riding to Castro Valley on Redwood today and noticed the crew erecting K barriers around the collapsed section, which is quite startling. The collapse is at mile marker 7.38, which is about a kilometer after you start the southbound descent. Apparently Alameda County had just begun closing the road as there was no indication when we entered Redwood off of Pinehurst. Only when we arrived at the bottom did we see that there was a closure erected at the EBMUD Chabot staging area. We stopped to talk to the guard and he said they had literally just closed it. Not wanting to be stuck in Castro Valley we immediately turned around and headed back to Orinda. When we got back to the collapsed section we were told that the road would be closed for two months and that it would be a “hard closure.” (My guess is that “two months” is bureaucratese for an indefinite period of time probably a lot longer than two months.) When we arrived at Marciel gate a tractor was now parked across the road blocking all traffic and turning them back. We spoke with the operator and he confirmed that K barriers will be put up across the roadway.

Road closures are a mixed blessing for cyclists. The positive is that cars can’t go there; the negative is that cyclists aren’t supposed to go there either. But unless there is rabid enforcement there is nothing to prevent you from lifting your bike over the barrier and continuing on your merry way. Just know that the roadway could collapse more at any moment and you might die. Apparently Contra Costa Public Works is wise to cyclist shenanigans because the Alhambra closure, which blocks the traditional Three Bears route and also has an indefinite closure period (i.e. “we need to find money before we can do any repair”), is not only blocked by K barriers but has chainlink fence completely across the roadway, from edge to edge, to prevent cyclists or pedestrians from entering. Lord knows if Alameda County will follow suit.

If you’re dead set on getting through Redwood—and I don’t blame you because it’s a major recreational cyclist thoroughfare without an easy alternate—there is a way: if heading southbound, cut through Anthony Chabot Park by means of Marciel Road; Marciel is paved. Take it most of the way down to the day use parking area and then cut off onto the Brandon trail, which is a fire road, and you’ll drop down just behind the Redwood Canyon golf course where you can catch Redwood Road again. Brandon is doable on a road bike and hopefully if the rain has stopped it should be pretty dry soon and less mucky.