Davenport Informal Parking Area to Temporarily Close for North Coast Rail Trail Construction

The informal parking area on the coast side of Highway 1 near the town of Davenport will temporarily close for approximately six months beginning in early May to allow for construction of the North Coast Rail Trail, associated parking lot improvements and a new formal pedestrian crossing of Highway 1. Construction activities include, but are not limited to, grading and paving the area into a formal parking lot, utility installation, and installation of signage and amenities. One way traffic controls may be in place during active construction in the vicinity of the project area.

During the temporary closure, coastal access from Highway 1 where the new parking lot is under construction will not be available and access from alternative locations may be limited during active construction periods.

Once complete, the project will provide formalized parking and provide an accessible pedestrian connection to the North Coast Rail Trail, a 7.5-mile multi-use bicycle and pedestrian trail extending along the Santa Cruz Branch Rail Line corridor from Wilder Ranch State Park to Davenport on Santa Cruz County’s north coast. The project comprises the majority of Coastal Rail Trail Segment 5 of the larger Monterey Bay Sanctuary Scenic Trail (MBSST) Network. The project also includes a new paved parking lot and restroom facilities at Panther/Yellowbank Beach, which was opened in April 2026. Construction of the North Coast Rail Trail is expected to be completed in late 2026.

The Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission, in coordination with Federal Highway Administration Central Federal Lands, is implementing the North Coast Rail Trail. Project partners include California State Parks and the County of Santa Cruz. The contractor on the project is Joseph J. Albanese Inc. based in Santa Clara, California.

The project is funded through state and federal grants, Measure D, and from the Land Trust of Santa Cruz County and the California Coastal Conservancy.

For more information on the North Coast Rail Trail project and construction updates, click here.

About the Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission: The Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Commission (RTC) delivers transportation solutions for a vibrant, sustainable, and equitable community. To receive regular information about RTC projects, please sign up here: http://sccrtc.org/about/esubscriptions/.