Hwy. 41 may reopen in Atascadero sooner than expected after landslide, Caltrans says
A closed stretch of Highway 41 in northern San Luis Obispo County may open earlier than expected after a landslide dumped dirt and debris onto the road near Atascadero.
Caltrans closed a 3-mile stretch of the highway from San Gabriel Road to Los Altos Road on Tuesday, the agency said, predicting a long-term shutdown while the road was cleared.
But on Friday, Caltrans said the highway that links the North County to Morro Bay could open as soon as next weekend.
So far, “crews have removed an estimated 6,000 yards of dirt from the slide and have another 10,000 yards to cut from the slope and remove,” Caltrans said in a news release.
San Luis Obispo-based Souza Construction is managing the $2.8 million project, Caltrans said.
“A spider excavator has begun to cut a bench at the top of the slope to allow for slide removal from the top down, to restore the highway,” the news release said.
Crews will be working on the highway on Saturday and Sunday from sunrise to sunset, Caltrans said.
“Travelers can take Hwy. 46 or Hwy. 1 as an alternate route,” the news release said. “Message and directional signs are in place.”
