Travelers will be able to see more of Big Sur coast when major Hwy. 1 slide reopens in July
Highway 1 on the Big Sur coast could reopen at Paul’s Slide by early to mid-July, Caltrans said Friday, moving the southern end of the closure north from Limekiln State Park to the community of Lucia.
The area has been blocked since Jan. 14, 2023, after the hillside collapsed in a winter storm, sending around 50,000 cubic yards of dirt and rocks onto the roadway, according to the release.
The rebuilt stretch of highway has been moved inland and elevated at its south end, with an expanded catchment area between travel lanes and the mountain’s slope, Caltrans said.
A concrete protective barrier and fencing will also extend along the northbound shoulder of the roadway, according to the release.
Currently, work crews are installing the final three culverts that will divert water and debris below the roadway.
The coming weeks will see base material, final paving, guardrails, protective barriers and striping added to the impacted stretch.
More stretches of Highway 1 to reopen soon
Paul’s Slide is one of two expected to reopen in the coming weeks.
Dolan Point north of Paul’s Slide, which was covered by a slide in February, will be reopened by early summer, according to Caltrans.
Those repairs will not result in an adjustment to the northern turnaround point at Lime Creek, according to the release.
Repairs to Regent’s Slide, which was similarly obstructed in February, will take slightly longer due to the “challenging conditions associated with the extreme slope at the site,” according to the release.
Regent’s Slide is estimated to reopen in late fall, opening direct travel on Highway 1 between Cambria and Carmel.
Where can people travel now?
Outside of the 11-mile stretch of repairs, travelers from the Cambria and San Simeon area are be able to travel as far north as Limekiln State Park, while travelers from the Monterey area will be able to go as far as Lime Creek, according to the release.
Bicyclists are not be permitted through the Dolan Point and Regent’s Slide construction zones, but can pass during regular convoy times at Paul’s Slide.
“Please note that Regent’s Slide is active, extremely steep, and the material across the road is unstable,” the release read.
