Highway 1 to Big Sur opens to around-the-clock travel as slide repair advances

In this provided by the California Department of Transportation, a section of Highway 1 re-opened, Friday, May 17, 2024, in Big Sur, Calif., after repairs were made following storm damage. (Kevin Drabinski/California Department of Transportation via AP)

BIG SUR — A section of California’s scenic Highway 1 leading to the famous Big Sur coast reopened to around-the-clock traffic Friday after stabilization of a storm-triggered rockslide that dropped a chunk of one lane into the ocean and hampered tourism.

The gap has yet to be closed, but after placement of steel and concrete into the cliff, a temporary signal system was activated to allow alternating north-south traffic on the undamaged lane, according to the California Department of Transportation.

The reopening came eight days ahead of schedule and just in time for summer travel.

“Highway 1 is the jewel of the California highway system and our crews have been working non-stop for the last month and a half so Californians can have unrestricted access to this iconic area of our state,” Caltrans Director Tony Tavares said in a statement this week.

Big Sur is a 90-mile (145-kilometer) stretch of the state’s central coast where misty, forested mountains rise up from the ocean. Much of the highway is perched high on cliffs, presenting dramatic views.