PCH Northbound along Bolsa Chica Wetlands, just south of signal at Warner
Monday, October 15th 2012 3:40pm

CalTrans is installing a cable fence & guard rail along edge of the highway at the waters edge.
During construction they have placed concrete K-Rails just outside the fog line blocking the shoulder.
This impacts the shoulder of north bound PCH for cyclists who must merge into the PCH right lane (60 MPH / 55 MPH)

CalTrans has posted several signs approaching the 50 yard obstacle, giving lots of notice to traffic that the shoulder is closed.
Effective cyclists will make a safe merge into the traffic lane, when traffic permits, using lane position to be visible.
If traffic is unsafe, it is possible to dismount & walk on the outside of the K-rail.
Good motorists will see bicyclists entering the right lane & merge to the left to pass safely.   
Less experienced riders will wait until they run out of shoulder & move into traffic lanes at the last moment,
without signaling or checking over their shoulder, and will try to squeeze right on the rail to encourage motorists to share their lane.
If they are chugging on beach cruisers they probably would be better off on the bike trail through the State beach;



A sign at west end of Huntington Beach saying "shoulder closed ahead, detouring to beach bike trail" might be nice...



 
1st Sign: 1500 feet out?
 ROAD
 WORK
AHEAD



2nd sign:
    RIGHT
SHOULDER
   CLOSED
    1000 FT


3rd sign: 500 feet
Bicycle
&
SHARE
  THE
 ROAD


4th sign: 200 feet?
Electric lighted hazard board:
         NO
  SHOULDER
     AHEAD
DRIVE SLOW


5th sign
just at construction site:
SHOULDER
  CLOSED

Even IF Governor Brown had not vetoed the "3 foot law"
it would be nice to see a sign like this here to remind motorists
they have a second lane to choose:

Maybe next year...
 http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/california-politics/2012/09/gov-brown-vetoes-bill-restricting-how-motorists-pass-bicyclists.html
 http://www.facebook.com/3FeetPlease
 http://www.examiner.com/article/governor-brown-says-no-to-cyclists-again-and-vetos-the-3-foot-safe-passing-bill


The K-Rail IS just outside the fog line...


Right after the 50 or 60 yards of K-Rail there is a final sign
        END
ROAD WORK
and at that point the shoulder is again free to ride if practicable...

Here is the entire K-Rail seen from the southbound PCH side: