Bollards were recently set up to block golf cart access to the Colin C. Reilly Bridge, also known as the Cabrillo Bridge, in Cayucos.
“It basically cuts the town in two and eliminates the connector to get to one side of town to the other,” said Bob Lilley, who lives on the south side of Cayucos.
He used to cross the bridge with his golf cart every day.
“It’s been closed for three months now, and the [San Luis Obispo County] Department of Public Works closed it down with the bollard, as you can see,” Lilley said.
According to Public Works, “The bollards were installed to restrict all vehicles from the bridge. At some point, they were removed without our knowledge or consent. After receiving a complaint from a pedestrian that they had a near-miss collision with a golf cart, we discovered the bollards were missing and reinstalled them.”
Luke Watkins works at the Morro Bay Cayucos Cemetery directly next to the bridge.
"There was a center bollard here for a number of years. About two or three years ago, we noticed it had been removed and thrown over the fence,” Watkins said.
According to Public Works, the path is designated for bike and pedestrian use only, and signs stating “No motor vehicles” are posted.
“Motorized bicycles are still allowed on the bridge, and they can go up to 40 miles an hour, and they create a much greater hazard than a golf cart, which can only go 20 miles an hour,” Lilley said.
Jeff Babb owns Central Coast Carts and has heard residents’ concerns about the closure.
“Nearly every day for the last three months, someone has called and asked a question. We have the same information that everybody else has. Unfortunately, Public Works put the bollard in,” Babb said.
Carolee Wade, who lives on the north end of Cayucos, says for some people, golf carts are their only form of transportation around town.
“We’ve got disabled that that’s their form of transportation. They can’t get over here now because it’s closed,” Wade said.
KSBY News spoke with Supervisor Bruce Gibson, who said that while this path is for bikes and pedestrians only, he’ll be meeting with Public Works next week to look at options for another path for low-speed vehicles between north and south Cayucos.
