Free Weekend Shuttle: Oceana-Linda Mar

Detailed Map and Schedule

A free shuttle runs weekends between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., with eight departures in each direction, from Linda Mar Park & Ride in the south, and from Oceana Terrace Senior Housing in the north. Major stops along the way include the Community Center/Senior Center, Fassler/Rockaway, Highway 1/Vallemar/Mori Point, Sharp Park Golf Course, Beach Boulevard, the fishing pier, City Hall, and Oceana High School/Brink Pool.

This new service operates under the name "Devil's Slide Ride" because eventually (i.e., whenever Caltrans runs out of deadlines and cost overruns for actually opening the Devil's Slide Tunnels) the shuttle will go up the hill to the Shamrock Ranch Bridge turnaround, where pedestrians and bicyclists will dismount and head up the soon-to-be-silent Old Highway 1 to the scenic overlook at Devil's Slide.

The shuttle is funded by a grant from the San Mateo County Transportation Authority (SMCTA) Measure A program and the City/County Association of Governments of San Mateo County (C/CAG). Info: Dave Rogers, City of Pacifica Engineering Division, 650-738-3767.

Comments

[Pacifica Index]

Route schedule (with map) is available here:
http://www.pacificaindex.com/pacificadocumentwire/5349-DevilsSlideRideShuttleSchedule.pdf

[Dan Underhill]

@ Jay Bird: Yes, the Devil's Slide Ride goes to places where tourists might spend money. I think there is already a shuttle service to get older or handicapped persons in the backs of our little valleys to and from shopping areas. The Devil's Slide Ride doesn't do that. It is for facilitating tourism.

[Jay Bird]

From the schedule it looks like it's a beach ride only -- not going back of the valleys -- post a map if you get one --

[Carl May]

Ah, there's that magic word "grant." All is okay--until you realize all of us who are taxpayers will pay for that grant. If the grant comes from state bond funds, for example, we'll pay for it with interest.

The highway "trail" leading from the southern terminus of this shuttle (where there will also be a paved parking lot and bathroom) is being paid for with state grants to the tune of millions of misspent dollars.

A general principle: when money is spent on development to supposedly access "nature," the damage to nature is directly proportional to the amount spent. The urban-mind-set recreational developer, be it government official or private contractor, suffers from an extreme case of nature-deficit disorder in our society.

[alan wald]

Then, I wonder why the north terminus is Oceana (middle of nowhere) and not Manor Shopping Center, just a bit further up the road...

[Dan Underhill]

@alan wald: If I understood correctly, this is being paid for not with discretionary money but with a grant. I am surprised about the SamTrans routes and schedules. Councilwoman Nihart said that SamTrans was involved or at least consulted on this project. My information on the subject comes from the one short speech that I mentioned before, but then I did manage to screw up on the start date. The free Devil's Slide Ride stands a fair chance of introducing people to the idea of public transportation (something SamTrans hasn't been able to do) and for tourists there is really no comparison. As I said before, Seattle has enjoyed great success with its free bus service downtown, and we may enjoy some success as well for the same reasons. If I were considering opening a tourist-oriented business, a free shuttle might be the feature that convinced me to set up shop in Pacifica.

[alan wald]

SamTrans Route 110 currently provides seven departures in each direction through Pacifica on both Saturdays and Sundays. SamTrans Route 112 currently provides eight departures through Pacifica in each direction on both Saturdays and Sundays.

So with that much duplication of service (on a service that doesn't get much draw in the first place), is this really how we want to spend discretionary money in Pacifica?

[Jay Bird]

If possible, please publish the schedule for this shuttle.

(EDITOR'S NOTE: I looked in vain for a shuttle schedule on the websites of the sponsors noted in the Tribune story: City of Pacifica, Chamber of Commerce, and Recology. If anyone has the schedule in PDF form, please email it to mayburrito@goofbuster.com and I will post it here on Riptide. Thanks. Meanwhile, get out your magnifying glass and look at the jpeg I just posted, courtesy of Dan Underhill.)