19 August 2024
By JOSH FRIEDMAN
Caltrans announced that excavation work on Highway 1 at Regent’s Slide in Monterrey County has been temporarily halted due to ongoing landslides around the repair site.
A 6.8-mile stretch of Highway 1 has been closed since Feb. 9, when a landslide swallowed the road at Regent’s Slide and collapsed onto the beach and ocean below. Regent’s Slide is located 45 miles south of Carmel at Post Mile 27.8. The highway remains closed between Lime Creek north of the landslide and a point two miles north of Lucia south of the landslide.
Earlier this month, workers excavating the Regent’s Slide slope with bulldozers noticed cracks on the surface in several places, indicating further landslide activity. Caltrans mapped the cracks and concluded that the new landslide would likely continue to move and impact ongoing efforts to reopen Highway 1 in the area. Caltrans decided to halt excavation for worker safety.
Recently, Caltrans installed three sensors where surface cracks were observed. The agency will collect data that will be evaluated by engineers to determine if further stabilization work is needed. Excavation will resume once Caltrans confirms it is safe.
While it is currently not possible to drive on Highway 1 from Cambria to Carmel, coastal businesses and attractions south of Carmel remain accessible to drivers from Northern California.
