STATE HIGHWAY 1 in Big Sur fully reopened Wednesday after a landslide closed a segment of the coastal roadway back in 2024.
Gov. Gavin Newsom and other state and local officials celebrated the reopening after a storm and landslide known as Regent’s Slide closed a 6.8-mile segment of Highway 1 in Monterey County on Feb. 9, 2024.
The landslide overlapped with one 6 miles to the south known as Paul’s Slide that closed part of the highway from January 2023 to June 2024, meaning that Wednesday was the first time in nearly three years that there has been uninterrupted access along the Big Sur coast between Carmel in Monterey County and Cambria in San Luis Obispo County.
Newsom’s office said the highway was initially planned to fully reopen at the end of March, but crews finished the work earlier than expected so it reopened Wednesday.
“This reopening will bring much-needed relief to small businesses and families in Big Sur and the surrounding communities who have shown remarkable resilience and strength,” Newsom said in a statement. “This vital corridor is the gateway to California’s coast and the lifeblood of the Big Sur economy — and today it’s restored.”
The governor’s office said Caltrans crews used advanced engineering techniques while working on the challenging landscape along the coast, including using remote-controlled heavy equipment, drilling more than 4,600 steel bars up to 60 feet long into the slopes, and having real-time monitoring systems to ensure the work was done in safe conditions.
“This vital corridor is the gateway to California’s coast and the lifeblood of the Big Sur economy — and today it’s restored.”
Gov. Gavin Newsom
The U.S. Geological Survey has identified 75 miles of the Big Sur coastline as one of the most landside-prone areas in the western U.S., with over 1,500 mapped slides, according to Newsom’s office. In the days leading up to the reopening, Caltrans removed about 6,000 cubic yards of mud and debris from more recent storms this winter.
“The full reopening of Highway 1 marks a significant milestone of local, national, and global interest,” Caltrans Director Dina El-Tawansy said. “There are few, if any, more iconic routes not just in California but anywhere in the world. Restoring access for residents and tourists boosts regional economies and reinvigorates the pride and cultural identity associated with one of the most scenic and picturesque roadways on the planet.”
State Sen. John Laird, D-Monterey, said the highway closure “created lasting hardship, cutting off access and threatening the region’s economic stability. Reopening this vital corridor restores jobs, revives local businesses, and reconnects people to their homes and livelihoods.”
“Repairing this slide meant contending with a moving mountain in one of the most geologically active regions of the coast,” said Monterey County Supervisor Kate Daniels. “My thanks to Caltrans for its perseverance and incredible feat of engineering. We are relieved that this vital highway is once again connecting the Big Sur community and open to the traveling public.”