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Carmel-by-the-Sea readies street closures, traffic controls and shuttles for Car Week
Summary
City staff and the Community Activities Commission reviewed planned street closures, traffic-calming measures and shuttle planning for the three main Car Week event days (Tuesday through Thursday), and said organizers will expand footprints for several events and add temporary no-parking zones to reduce jams and safety risks.
Commission member Ashley briefed the commission on logistics for the upcoming Car Week events, detailing expanded event footprints, targeted street closures and traffic-management measures to reduce congestion and address public-safety risks.
"These maps are up on the city's website that show you what the street closures are for each day," Commission member Ashley said, describing the daily setup and breakdown schedule and noting the police department's role in traffic control.
What’s planned: city staff and event organizers described three event days with separate footprints. Concourse for a Cause will expand its footprint down Lincoln Street; Aston's on the Avenue (a gallery event) will form a T-shaped footprint extending toward Dolores Street; a small Rivian activation with an ice-cream offering is planned on Mission Street between Sixth and Ocean; and the prancing-ponies and Concours events will occupy the top and bottom of Ocean Avenue on later days.
To reduce traffic jams and public-safety hazards commonly seen in past years, staff said they will close a half block on Monte Verde Street (roughly from Seventh to the City Hall driveway) during the event breakdown; mark no-parking zones on one side of Sixth Avenue and the opposite side of Seventh Avenue; and impose no-parking on the narrow block adjacent to the Pine Inn. The police department will apply traffic-calming measures and adjust enforcement as events begin and end.
Staff said event setups will begin overnight with some vendor and organizer setup as early as midnight; police closures typically occur in the 5 a.m. to 6 a.m. range on busy mornings, but a firm schedule will be set at a pre-operation meeting next week. Staff also reported the mayor and city administration are working on a shuttle pilot between town and Larson Field for the three event days; organizers said anyone can use the shuttle and that final approval and advertising are pending.
Commissioners raised concerns about early morning closures and impacts on residents trying to leave the village; staff agreed to provide a precise closure schedule and to post parking maps and shuttle details on the city website. The chair stressed public messaging and posted maps to help residents and visitors find legal parking and avoid known 'pain spots' where crowds and photography create hazards.
The commission did not take any formal votes on Car Week items during the session but noted staff and event organizers will continue to refine logistics in pre-operation meetings and through the city's web postings ahead of the events.
