Point Reyes Light - October 30, 2003
Plans to limit drives to Stinson & Muir
By Ian Fein
Spontaneous visits to Stinson Beach, Muir Woods, and Muir Beach may be limited in the future with visitors required to take shuttlebuses to and from parking lots – most of them outside of West Marin.
Marin County Department of Public Works this week outlined three proposals for curtailing automobile traffic to Muir Woods, as well as the beaches in the towns of Muir Beach and Stinson Beach.
By forcing travelers out of their cars and onto public transportation, some of the Public Works Department proposals would free up much of the Park Service parking spaces in the two towns.
At present, many travelers who visit Muir Beach and Stinson Beach begin with trips to Muir Woods National Monument and then continue on to the coast. Under some Public Works proposals, however, Muir Woods Road would be closed to private vehicles, making a short trip from the national monument to nearby Muir Beach a fairly long trip.
The county, in conjunction with the Park Service, California State Parks and Recreation, and Caltrans, has proposed three alternative plans that would be phased in during the next two decades.
All three would provide: remote parking at "transit-intercept facilities" in East Marin and San Francisco, increased shuttle services between the facilities and park sites, improved pedestrian and bicycle trails, and redesigned parking at Muir Beach.
The plan was presented at a Muir Beach Community Services District meeting on Wednesday night. At the meeting more than 100 of the town’s residents were outraged that they were not included in the planning process thus far and had numerous complaints about all three alternatives. The plan will be the topic of a special Stinson Beach Village Association meeting at 7:30 p.m. Monday, Nov. 3, in the Stinson Beach Community Center.
Here are some of the highlights of these proposed alternatives, as outlined by Public Works, as well as the option of rejecting them all:
Alternative 1
No action
"The parklands will continue to be managed and maintained as they have been."
Alternative 2
Much transit/ little parking
• "Provides the highest amount of new shuttle/transit service, increases the amount of off-site parking at a transit-intercept facility, and provides the least amount of parking within parklands."
• "Upper Muir Woods Road closed to all private vehicles."
• "Lower Muir Woods Road open only to bicycles and vehicles with a parking reservation."
• "Stinson Beach parking lots reduced [from 839] to 725 spaces."
• "Muir Woods parking reduced [from 179] to 115 spaces for cars.... Parking reservations required."
• "Muir Beach parking reduced [from 175] to 90 spaces to address environmental impact [of past rechanneling of Redwood Creek]."
Alternative 3
Blended plan
• "Provides medium amount of parking within parklands, increases the amount of off-site parking, and provides medium levels of transit service."
• "Upper Muir Woods Road closed to all private vehicles (open only to cars in the winter season)."
• "Lower Muir Woods Road open only to bicycles and vehicles with a parking reservation (open to all vehicles in the winter season)."
• "Add new parking lot (50 spaces) at Dias Ridge."
• "Stinson Beach parking reduced to 785 spaces."
• "Tennessee Valley parking increased [from 86] to 165 spaces."
• "Muir Woods parking reduced to 140 spaces for cars.... Parking reservations required."
• "New remote lot with 148 spaces on Lower Muir Woods Road with shuttle to monument site."
• "Muir Beach parking reduced to 145 spaces."
Alternative 4
Much parking/ little transit
• "Slightly increases the amount of parking within parklands, increases the amount of off-site parking, and increases transit services."
• "Upper Muir Woods open to private vehicles ... but closed to buses year round."
• "Lower Muir Woods Road open to buses, bicycles, and private vehicles year round."
• "Maintain and formalize shoulder parking on Panoramic Highway at Dias Ridge."
• "Stinson Beach parking remains at 839 spaces with park access via a new road from the junction of Highway 1 and Panoramic Highway."
• "Tennessee Valley parking increased to 189 spaces."
• "Muir Woods parking reduced to 140 spaces ... (reservations for buses)."
• "New remote lot with 293 spaces on Lower Muir Woods Road with shuttle to monument site."
• "Muir Beach parking increased to 202 spaces with new lot."
• "Mount Tamalpais parking modestly increased (Pan Toll by four spaces and Mountain Home by 26 spaces)."
Details of these alternatives can be found on the Worldwide Web at <www.ctmpmarin.org>.