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2h ago

Highway 1 Through Big Sur Reopens, Restoring Coastal Through-Traffic After Three Years

The state confirmed a noon reopening at Regent’s Slide after Caltrans finished stabilization work ahead of its March target.

Aerial shot of Bixby Bridge on the Big Sur coast of California on a sunny afternoon.
Caltrans has worked since January 2023 to remove a landslide that spilled onto the highway at Paul’s Slide during a major storm.
FILE - Cones mark a break in the southbound lane of Highway 1 at Rocky Creek Bridge in Big Sur, Calif., April 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Nic Coury, File)
Crews work on top of Regent’s Slide, above Highway 1 in Big Sur, in 2024. The highway is just reopening.

Overview

  • Governor Gavin Newsom confirmed the reopening, and Caltrans removed barricades at midday Wednesday as the first cars drove through.
  • The final closure was a roughly 6.8–7 mile stretch at Regent’s Slide near Lucia, restoring continuous travel between San Francisco and Los Angeles along the Big Sur coast.
  • Repairs finished months early after Caltrans used remotely operated heavy equipment, thousands of steel reinforcements drilled up to 60 feet deep, and real-time monitoring systems.
  • Caltrans’ work to reopen and stabilize the Regent’s Slide area was estimated at about $60 million, according to reporting.
  • Local leaders and business owners reported steep traffic and revenue declines during the closure and are preparing for an influx of visitors with the corridor fully open.