Central Coast travelers and residents can expect Highway 1 in Big Sur to fully reopen next fall after recent winter storms slowed road repair efforts.
Three landslides block parts of the scenic road: First, the road was closed by Paul’s Slide in January 2023, followed by the Dolan Point and Regent landslides in February of this year.
Before the Dolan Point and Regent landslides this winter led to new road closures, Caltrans had originally expected to be able to fully reopen the road during the spring.
That’s no longer the case, according to Caltrans, especially after recent storms further delayed progress on ongoing road repairs.
The section of road affected by the Dolan Point Slide is expected to reopen in mid-May after workers install mesh curtains to protect against rockfalls, according to a Caltrans press release.
According to Caltrans, repairs to the section of road affected by Paul’s Slide have been delayed due to winter storms, rainfall and additional landslides along the highway.
Caltrans now expects to reopen the highway section by summer, the press release said.
Currently, “workers are cutting cuts into the hillside to prepare for the final alignment of the roadway,” the press release states. Road alignment surveys, installation of new drainage systems and other construction preparations are expected in the coming weeks.
The section of highway affected by Regent Slide is scheduled to be repaired within 100 days of the start of repair work, although Caltrans is still waiting for environmental permits, according to a Caltrans contribution to X.
Permits are expected to be issued in the next two weeks and repairs could begin in the next three weeks. The agency expects to be able to fully reopen the section of highway affected by Regent Slide in the fall.
Meanwhile, north of the closures, work is underway to stabilize a section of Highway 1 that collapsed during one of the recent storms. It should be completed by Memorial Day, Caltrans said.
Convoys stay at Paul’s Slide
Caltrans will add a new midday convoy to the schedule at Paul’s Slide. Convoys will now run at 7:45 a.m., 1:00 p.m., and 4:15 p.m.
“A lunch convoy has been established … to allow students north of Paul’s Slide to participate in a full day of school,” Caltrans said in the news release.
However, to avoid disruptions during construction work, the 1pm convoy may be abolished in the coming weeks.
