Categories: Big Sur

Highway One remains closed

Date:	Tuesday, December 28, 2021 at 4:50 p.m.
District:	05 – Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, Monterey, San Benito, and Santa Cruz Counties
Contact:	Kevin Drabinski or Jim Shivers
Phone:	(805) 549-3138 or (805) 549-3237

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

HIGHWAY 1 REMAINS CLOSED IN NORTHERN SLO COUNTY

DUE TO ACTIVE SLIDE

SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY – Highway 1 remains closed due to rockfall and debris in the roadway in northern San Luis Obispo County from just south of Ragged Point to the Elephant Seal Vista Point. There is no estimated time for reopening.

Maintenance teams and contractors continue to assess how to safely remove an undermined rock mass on the hill high above the roadway. The slide itself is located about two miles south of Ragged Point at a location known as Polar Star at Post Mile 71.8.

On Monday Dec. 27, Caltrans entered into a $1.25 million emergency contract with Souza Construction of San Luis Obispo to clear the slide, remove the unsupported rock above the roadway, and perform other related repairs.

The slide has remained active and crews will not have a definitive decision on a course of action until after rains expected in the coming days have subsided.

Crews will continue to monitor and assess the situation during daylight hours and updates will be provided as more information becomes available.

Travelers from the Monterey/Carmel area should be advised that Highway 1 remains open from the north, through Big Sur proper, all the way down to Ragged Point. Travelers from the south are advised that Highway 1 remains open through Cambria and San Simeon.

Barricades, cones, as well as message and directional signs are in place at both ends of the closure to alert motorists traveling in the area.

For traffic updates on other state highways in San Luis Obispo County, travelers may contact Caltrans District 5 Public Affairs at 805-549-3318 or can visit the District 5 website at: https://dot.ca.gov/caltrans-near-me/district-5

bigsurkate

Appointed appellate counsel for indigent defendants (retired.) I have lived in Big Sur since 1984, first on the north coast, and on the South Coast since 1989.

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View Comments

W says:

December 28, 2021 at 5:34 pm

The topsoil could be used to restore the ecosystem on 1 1/2:1 or gentler slopes anywhere needed along the coast. Rat Creek?

Are they sure there's no subsurface domestic drainage impacting the slope from the adjacent facility just over the spur ridge from the site? Could be no effect, or could be part of the picture.