Tom Lantos Tunnels
The construction of the North Portal Bridges leading to the tunnels, that bypass Devil's Slide
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| Overview | |
|---|---|
| Location | Near Pacifica, California |
| Coordinates | 37°34′38″N 122°30′45″W / 37.5772°N 122.5125°WCoordinates: 37°34′38″N 122°30′45″W / 37.5772°N 122.5125°W |
| Status | Complete |
| Route |
 SR 1 (Cabrillo Highway) |
| Operation | |
| Work begun | May 6, 2005 |
| Constructed | 2005-2013 |
| Opened | March 26, 2013 |
| Owner | State of California |
| Operator | Caltrans |
| Traffic | Automotive |
| Technical | |
| Length | 4,149 ft (northbound) 4,008 ft (southbound) |
| No. of lanes | 1 per bore |
| Operating speed | 45 mph (72 km/h) |
| Highest elevation | c. 30 m (98 ft) msl |
| Lowest elevation | c. 20 m (66 ft) msl |
| Tunnel clearance | 6.8 m (22 ft) |
| Width | 9 m (30 ft) |
The Tom Lantos Tunnels are two tunnels located within the coastal promontory of Devil's Slide in California, United States, allowing State Route 1 to bypass the treacherous Devil's Slide stretch. They are officially named after late Congressman Tom Lantos, who was instrumental in securing funding for the project, but de facto named after their location.
The Devil's Slide tunnels, as they are usually called, are the second and third longest road tunnels in California at 4,149 ft (1,265 m) northbound, and 4,008 ft (1,222 m) southbound. By comparison the longest road tunnel currently in California, the Wawona Tunnel on Highway 41 in Yosemite National Park, is 4,233 ft (1,290 m).
A bypass was proposed to be constructed to replace the 600-foot (180 m) stretch of highway. Beginning in 1958, California began the process to replace Devil's Slide with an inland route over Montara Mountain, known as the Martini Creek Bypass. The bypass bisected a section of McNee Ranch State Park, and was opposed by community and environmental groups. By 1975, 55% of the right-of-way had been acquired, when work on the proposed bypass was abandoned due to public opposition.
Most environmentalists supported a tunnel as a more environmentally sensitive alternative to the Martini Creek Bypass. A short tunnel built in 1908 by the Ocean Shore Railroad went through the area, but was destroyed during Prohibition, to keep it from being used by alcohol smugglers. The Sierra Club proposed building a tunnel to bypass the road in 1973. A Caltrans study in 1974 determined that a tunnel would be a viable alternative to the current road or a proposed inland freeway bypass. However, the state dropped the idea in the late 1970s.
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