Shell Beach Road Streetscape Improvements

The Shell Beach Road Streetscape – Phase I Project is a major component of the City of Pismo Beach’s overall Complete Street Plan. The well-traveled Shell Beach Road corridor historically lacked multi-modal transportation elements and connections to key destinations.

The project involved the construction of a multi-use path on the east side of Shell Beach Road, along the Caltrans right-of-way (ROW) boundary, to connect Shell Beach Elementary School to Dinosaur Caves Park. Several other surface enhancements were implemented, including ADA-compliant sidewalks and curb ramps, intersection bulb-outs for pedestrian safety and traffic calming, landscaping, streetscape furnishings and amenities, lighting, walls and fences, fresh pavement surfaces, new striping and markings, and public art displays. A parking lot was also built to offset lost parking from construction.

The City selected Cannon to provide construction management, inspection, materials testing, and administrative services. This project presented distinct challenges, because approximately 64% of work occurred below the surface replacing water and storm drain utilities and undergrounding existing overhead utility lines.

Cannon’s construction management team worked closely with field representatives from local utility providers to facilitate the overall success of undergrounding work. Undergrounding work for this project was unique because the contractor was responsible for installing trenching, conduit, boxes, vaults, and appurtenances related to the undergrounding work within the City ROW, while PG&E was responsible for work within private property, such as installation of new wire, and removal of overhead lines, poles and related appurtenances. Because this project involved horizontal directional drilling (HDD) that crossed Caltrans right-of-way, Cannon facilitated conformance to their encroachment permit requirements and road settlement monitoring.

This project successfully transformed Shell Beach Road into a safe, accessible, and aesthetically pleasing thoroughfare that accommodates pedestrians, cyclists, and vehicles alike.