by Lacey Pfalz
Last updated: 11:31 AM ET, Mon April 12, 2021
Highway 1, which was partially destroyed by a landslide two months ago, is now expected to be finished two months earlier than originally projected. The expected reopening date is planned for April 30, depending on how the weather may impact construction.
The highway is an important access point to California's Big Sur area, which is home to Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park, Garrapata State Park and Point Lobos State Natural Reserve, among other attractions. After the landslide, the area's tourism and attractions were accessible from the north or the east via Highway 101 and Highway 68.
According to the Associated Press, the estimated cost to repair the 150-foot hole in the road will cost around $11.5 million. Caltrans, or the California Department of Transportation, will replace the highway's drainage system and improve the infrastructure to prevent future landslides and help with erosion.
A press release from Caltrans projects that the road will be built, paved and striped within the next two weeks, weather permitting. The road will then reopen, but will have to have controlled traffic at Rat Creek, where the drainage system will be installed later.
"Reopening Highway 1 at Rat Creek just three months after a washout of this magnitude is great news for residents, recreationalists, business owners, and those who move goods through this region," said Caltrans Director Toks Omishakin. "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."
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