A section of Highway 1 along the Big Sur coastline closed Saturday afternoon due to storm damage. (Caltrans)
BIG SUR – After days of rainfall, a 2-mile section of Highway 1 along the Big Sur coastline remained closed in both directions through Monday as crews from Caltrans responded to rockslides and debris on the roadway.
The closure stretched from near Big Creek Vista Point (postmile 27.3) to near Dolan Point (postmile 29.2) as of Monday afternoon.
A more expansive road closure initially went into effect Saturday afternoon, which extended from 2.5 miles south of Big Sur at Deetjen’s Big Sur Inn to Ragged Point in San Luis Obispo. It came as a consequence of wet weather that has trickled down the state since Thursday, brought on by a pair of storms originating in the Pacific Northwest.
In four days, the Big Sur coastline has collected more than 6 inches of rain. More inland, across the Santa Lucia Mountains, totals climbed higher. Anderson Peak clocked in well over 10 inches of rain, as did Three Peaks near the Monterey-San Luis Obisbo county border, while other portions of the coastal range saw anywhere from 6-8 inches of precipitation.
With the bout of showers, a series of rockslides along Highway 1 followed. Crews from Caltrans have been out addressing storm damage since Saturday, Caltrans District 5 spokesperson Alexa Bertola said Monday morning.
In a press release Sunday, Caltrans said assessments “revealed dozens of areas of concern.” Of particular concern for the agency was a more serious incident at Cow Cliffs (postmile 28), where a large rock “breached the containment area,” Caltrans said. Describing conditions at Cow Cliffs, Bertola explained that metal fencing meant to contain slides gave way in the storm, allowing rocks to fall through.
Maintenance teams continued to clean up materials and fix the damaged rock barrier at Cow Cliffs through Monday. Geotech engineers were also brought on-site to assess areas of most concern and determine the safety of the roadway.
A full opening of Highway 1 – if weather permits – is anticipated to occur by the end of the day Thursday.
For more information, Caltrans District 5 can be reached at (805) 549-3318. Current traffic and roadway conditions can also be found at https://dot.ca.gov/caltrans-near-me/district-5.
Originally published at Tess Kenny