POLISCOPE
Back to feed
NewsLos Angeles TimesOctober 29, 2026Los Angeles County

Humboldt County abandons Centerville Road repair project in favor of inland relocation

Photo: Los Angeles Times

The Humboldt County Board of Supervisors unanimously voted to abandon a $3.8-million project to elevate and armor Centerville Road, directing staff instead to develop a plan to relocate the coastal road further inland. The decision comes in response to rapid cliff erosion and impending El Niño storms, shifting the county's strategy toward managed retreat.

Coastal ManagementInfrastructureClimate ChangeTransportationLocal Government
Read the full story at Los Angeles Times

Why It Matters

Residents and property owners near Centerville Beach face an indefinite delay in securing stable road access while the county shifts from a funded coastal repair project to an undefined inland rerouting plan.

Key Facts

  • The Humboldt County Board of supervisors voted unanimously to abandon a $3.8-million project to elevate and armor Centerville Road.
  • County officials cited rapid cliff erosion and active landslide activity south of the project area as reasons for scrapping the plan.
  • Supervisors directed public works staff to develop a plan to move Centerville Road inland, adopting a policy known as managed retreat.
  • The abandoned project previously secured federal and state disaster funding and a permit from the California Coastal Commission.
  • Adjacent private landowners have previously opposed right-of-way access for rerouting due to concerns over trespassing, vandalism, and safety.
  • About 1,500 feet of Centerville Road is less than 100 feet from the edge of the bluff, with at least two areas under 25 feet from the dropoff.
  • The California Coastal Commission's prior permit approval required the county to remove the elevated roadway and rock revetment within 20 years anyway.

Who's Mentioned

locationPacific“Ocean into which road portions could slide”OrganizationHumboldt County Department of Public Works“County department directed to develop an inland rerouting plan”PersonLorraine Pedrotti“Property owner south of Centerville Beach”locationHumboldt County“Local government jurisdiction where Centerville Road is located”PersonSteve Madrone“Supervisor who commented on slope unraveling”otherCenterville Road“Narrow coastal byway subject to severe erosion”OrganizationCalifornia Coastal Commission“State agency that previously approved the coastal development permit”locationFerndale“Town located a few miles east of the project site”locationCenterville Beach“Beach area experiencing rapid cliff erosion”OrganizationHumboldt County Board of Supervisors“Governing body that voted to abandon the repair project”PersonMike Wilson“Supervisor who noted the road will not last permanently”PersonGeorge Brown“Landowner opposed to rerouting”PersonHank Seemann“County's deputy director of public works”