Segment of Highway 1 Slated for Reopening After Landslide Damage

The affected stretch is near Big Sur

Highway 1
There's a reason it's considered one of the country's most scenic highways.
Martin Adams/Unsplash

Earlier this year, California’s famous Highway 1 suffered a partial closure due to a landslide which caused a stretch of roadway to, essentially, fall into the sea. This was not the first time such an event, known as a “slip out,” had occurred on the iconic roadway. Since the disaster, work has proceeded on restoring the highway to an active state.

Now, there’s good news for both road trip enthusiasts and locals whose everyday drives were affected by the missing stretch of highway. The Los Angeles Times reports that the affected stretch of Highway 1, located near Big Sur, is slated to open by April 30. That’s excellent news to begin with, but part of the news that makes it even better is the speed with which Caltrans accomplished the repairs — rebuilding the roadway 2 months ahead of schedule.

The damage involved replacing a 150-foot stretch of roadway, which crews began work on in early March. The repairs have also involved taking measures to prevent such a collapse from happening again.

“Caltrans has been focused on the emergency work needed to increase the resiliency of this highway section to extreme weather, and the fixes made will allow for safe travel,” said Caltrans Director Toks Omishakin in a statement.

Once the roadway reopens, work will continue, including landscaping and guardrail installation. It might be the perfect occasion for a summer road trip.

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