Influencers at iconic California photo-op force drastic measures as travel season kicks off
Tourists chasing the perfect shot of one of California’s most famous bridges could soon find themselves out of luck.Monterey County supervisors are weighing a sweeping proposal to ban parking for a full year at the legendary Bixby Bridge after years of influencer-fueled chaos turned the scenic Highway 1 landmark into what locals say is a dangerous free-for-all.The board voted Tuesday to have staff explore a temporary yearlong ban on parking on or near the bridge — a hotspot for selfie seekers, photographers and tourists who clog the narrow coastal highway.But before any crackdown can happen, officials still need to iron out major issues including enforcement, emergency access and legal hurdles tied to California’s coastal rules.The bridge, roughly 60 miles north of the San Luis Obispo-Monterey county line, has become ground zero for reckless tourist behavior, with drivers stopping in traffic, making dangerous U-turns and swarming the roadway for photos.The result has been nightmare traffic jams stretching up to a mile in both directions — and mounting fears that somebody will eventually be killed.Some incidents have already pushed locals to the brink.“I once had the (driver of a) car in front of me stop just before the bridge, heading south, get out of his car, lock it, then walk off to take a photo.Left his locked car in the middle of the road,” Kate Novoa, better known as “Big Sur Kate”, told The Tribune.“It happens more often than one can imagine … selfie people are killing Big Sur.”The recent reopening of Highway 1 after three years of landslide repairs has only intensified the madness.“Visitation has surged significantly since the roadway reopened on Jan.
15.Northbound traffic at Ragged Point has grown more than 900% year-over-year — clear evidence of restored access and pent-up demand for travel to this iconic coastal corridor,” Visit California said in a recent Caltrans release.Monterey County Supervisor Glenn Church warned the s...