Highway 1 to Big Sur reopens after storm — but expect some delays
After four days of closures, Highway 1 is set to reopen with limited traffic control — but drivers should be aware of multiple sticking points.
According to a Facebook post from Big Sur State Parks, Highway 1 was expected to reopen on Friday at 4 p.m. at the site of Regent’s Slide, which was closed by rock slides earlier this week in the aftermath of a large winter storm that rolled through the Central Coast.
Crews have cleared enough mud and debris from the catchment area on the northbound shoulder of the highway at the foot of Regent’s Slide, allowing for daytime one-way traffic control starting Saturday as additional cleanup work is completed, according to the post.
Traffic control marked by electronic message signs will be in place through the weekend, and will likely cause delays of up to 20 minutes, according to the post.
Farther north, another one-way traffic control was established near Point Sur Lighthouse at Post Mile 54.9, according to a news release from Caltrans.
The signalized control will be in place for the next few weeks as crews continue to stabilize the southbound lane embankment, which was damaged in the storm, according to the release.
Delays of around five minutes are expected, according to the release.
The closures and subsequent efforts to reopen the Pacific Coast Highway came just one month after the highway was fully reopened along the Big Sur coast, which was closed by storm damage starting in 2023.
This story was originally published February 20, 2026 at 3:48 PM.
