Humboldt County supervisors voted Tuesday to halt plans to repair a section of Centerville Road threatened by accelerating coastal erosion and instead directed staff to develop a strategy to relocate the roadway farther inland. The decision reflects growing challenges faced by coastal communities confronting rising seas and increasingly severe wave action, particularly during this El Niño season.

The $3.8 million project originally aimed to raise and reinforce the road, which runs along cliffs and bluffs eroding rapidly into the Pacific Ocean. Supervisor Steve Madrone described the situation as “mind-boggling,” emphasizing the inevitability of the road eventually collapsing into the sea. “It’s all going to go,” Madrone said, adding that the question is only when, not if, the cliffs give way. Supervisor Mike Wilson echoed those concerns, stating the road in its current location is unlikely to last indefinitely.

Rather than pursue repairs, the board opted for a policy known as “managed retreat,” shifting infrastructure away from vulnerable shorelines to reduce risks and long-term costs. This approach has been increasingly adopted along California’s 840-mile coast, though it often encounters resistance from local property owners. In Humboldt County, landowners adjoining Centerville Road have historically opposed inland relocation efforts due to concerns over trespassing, vandalism, and safety.

At the meeting, some landowners voiced opposition to scrapping the repair project. Lorraine Pedrotti, who owns property near Centerville Beach, criticized the county for inadequate communication with affected neighbors. She also questioned abandoning a project with secured federal and state disaster funding in favor of an undefined realignment plan. “Dealing with a sometimes unpassable road for years is not acceptable,” she said. Similarly, landowner George Brown expressed skepticism over the official assessment of erosion severity, noting that while the bluffs have moved over the past 20 years, the process may not continue indefinitely.

Centerville Beach is known for some of California’s fastest-eroding cliffs, with significant loss of sandy dunes and the disappearance of a parking lot that once held up to 100 vehicles. Earlier this year, a large section of cliff collapsed near the road, underscoring the urgency of addressing the issue. The California Coastal Commission, which approved a permit for Centerville Road in September, mandated that the county develop plans to remove existing coastal infrastructure—including an elevated roadway and rock revetment—within 20 years and relocate the road inland. The commission also ordered restrictions on motorized vehicle access to the beach, a move that has sparked discontent among residents.

Hank Seemann, Humboldt County’s deputy director of public works, highlighted the financial impracticality of continuing to raise and armor the road given the severe erosion and the need to eventually abandon the stretch adjacent to the bluffs. Approximately 1,500 feet of Centerville Road lies within 100 feet of the bluff’s edge, with certain segments less than 25 feet away, placing them at high risk from active landslides.

Following the vote, supervisors instructed county staff to immediately begin planning for the road’s inland relocation and to negotiate with private landowners to secure necessary rights of way. Madrone stressed the shared interest of the county and landowners in maintaining stable access to properties over the long term, regardless of where the road ultimately runs.