California’s Highway 1 to reopen after years-long closure due to landslides | California
A portion of California’s iconic Highway 1, long a draw for travelers winding along the coast between rugged cliffs and admiring ocean views, is scheduled to reopen Wednesday after a years-long closure.
A large part of the road in Big Sur has been closed to transportation due to landslides since 2023, creating difficulties for visitors and tourism-based businesses.
But now, after years of repairs, Highway 1 was scheduled to reopen Wednesday afternoon. San Francisco Chronicle was first reported.
“Unless something unexpected happens, this is definitely a reopening,” Kirk Gafill, president of the Big Sur Chamber of Commerce, told the newspaper. “There will be traffic between SF and LA along the Big Sur coast for the first time in three years.”
This development is a gain for the region and is unexpected. The highway was originally scheduled to reopen in March, and last week “intermediate slideIt had to be cleared before crews could continue working.
“We are doing everything we can to return this vital section of highway to the residents, businesses and travelers who have been patient and understanding during repairs,” said Scott Eades, regional 5 manager for the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans). September.
The highway’s coastal location in a geologically active area means closures have long been part of its history. There is a long-standing rumor that Highway 1 has not remained fully operational from north to south for more than a year since it first opened to motorists in 1937.
Part of the highway has been closed since January 2023, when dangerous winter storms hit the state and caused a massive mudslide. The road was still closed for lengthy repairs when another slide occurred in February 2024. The storm that occurred a few months later brought heavy rains and part of the highway falling into the ocean.
As of September, crews had removed 300,000 cubic meters of material from the highway and another 250,000 cubic meters of material were expected to be removed. Caltrans used “unmanned, remote-controlled equipment” to operate bulldozers and excavators without endangering workers, according to the agency.
