| Date: | Sunday, January 1, 2023, 3:15 pm |
| District: | 05 – Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, Monterey, San Benito, and Santa Cruz Counties |
| Contact: | Kevin Drabinski or Jim Shivers |
| Phone: | (805) 549-3138 (805) 549-3237 |
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
UPDATE #2
HIGHWAY 1 ON THE BIG SUR COAST TO REMAIN CLOSED
THROUGH MONDAY FOR CONTINUED STORM CLEANUP
MONTEREY / SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTIES – The current full closure of Highway 1 from Ragged Point in San Luis Obispo County to 2.5 miles south of Big Sur in Monterey County is scheduled to remain in effect at least through Monday Jan. 2.
Crews are attempting to complete cleanup from recent storm activity prior to the arrival of storms forecast to arrive as soon as Wednesday of this week.
Contracted crews will be clearing debris from Paul’s Slide during daylight hours today and tomorrow. The gates at both ends of Paul’s Slide will be closed again this evening at 4:30 pm.
Caltrans maintenance crews are clearing blocked or partially blocked lanes at 15 locations from Ragged Point to Paul’s Slide, at 13 locations from Paul’s Slide to Rat Creek, and at 21 locations from Rat Creek to the northern closure 2.5 miles south of Big Sur.
This is in addition to additional cleanup of slides on Hwy. 1 both north and south of the closure parameters.
Assessments today did indicate that culverts were open and flowing in areas below the Dolan Fire burn scar. Additionally, despite scores of slides, there was no evidence of slip outs below the roadway, only the cleanup of soil, rocks, and trees, which have come down from above the roadway.
Updates on possible roadway reopening or movement of the closure parameters will be made when that information becomes available.
Debris behind catchment area at Paul’s Slide, Jan. 1, 2023
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Kevin Drabinski
Public Information Officer
Hundreds of cars just driving around the giant Road Closed signs in middle of southbound lane. Once again no CHP or law enforcement to be found anywhere on the coast. Oh yeah, complete chaos at Bixby with dozens of illegally parked cars pretty much throughout the entire day causing major backups and delays. 30 minutes to get across a bridge! Fu#*#*g free for all down here. Feels like Disneyland these days without a security guard. Aargh!!!!
We need a new Pat Chamberlin.
He was a hard-ass CHP and Cheif of the BSVFB.
Nobody crossed Pat. oops, I’m wrong, one guy did…
Ha! Bring back Pat, Kenny and the “Singing” Sheriff! They wouldn’t stand for the behavior of some of the visitors we see today. Although Pat might not do so well with all the cameras that are everywhere now.🤪