Headed to Big Sur on Highway 1? Drivers can expect round-the-clock delays at this spot
Drivers headed to Big Sur should allow themselves a little extra time for the drive along Highway 1 during the next few months.
Starting on Tuesday, travelers can expect delays of up to 10 minutes around the clock due to construction work to build a retaining wall and enhance drainage infrastructure in the Coastlands area, according to a Caltrans news release.
Coastlands is approximately one mile north of the Henry Miller Library and 0.8 miles south of the Big Sur Post Office. It’s located about 45 miles north of the border between San Luis Obispo and Monterey counties.
“Travelers will encounter 24/7 one-way traffic control as temporary signals will be activated at each end of the project parameters,” Caltrans said in the release.
Speed limits will be reduced in the area. Message and directional signs will alert motorists before they get to the construction area.
After the 2019 storms, “an emergency project secured the hillside,” Caltrans said. “These repairs below the roadway, along with K-rail placed on the southbound shoulder, have permitted the road to remain open until a permanent repair could be made.”
The current project involves building a soldier pile retaining wall and putting in a new guardrail, Caltrans said, as well as “additional enhancements to drainage infrastructure and landscaping, which will permanently restore the site.”
Work on the $1.5 million project is being done by FEC Future Contractors and Engineers, Inc., of Irvine.
Caltrans expects the project to be done in February 2023.
For traffic updates on state highways in Monterey or San Luis Obispo counties, call 805-549-3318 or go to https://dot.ca.gov/caltrans-near-me/district-5.
This story was originally published July 25, 2022 at 1:29 PM.
