Date:	Friday, January 6, 2023, at 3:45 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 #9

 OPENING OF HIGHWAY 1 CLOSURE EXTENDED TO

SATURDAY JAN. 7 AT 4 PM (correct time is 5PM)

MONTEREY / SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTIES – Today’s reopening of the Highway 1 closure has been extended.

As a result of favorable weather and road conditions, Highway 1 will remain open between Ragged Point and Deetjen’s Big Sur Inn until 5 pm Saturday Jan. 7.

The gates at Paul’s Slide (PM 22), will remain open overnight as crews today were able to clean out the catchment area and road conditions in the area are favorable for public travel.

In anticipation of projected rains tomorrow afternoon and evening, Highway 1 between Deetjen’s and Ragged Point will be closed again on Saturday Jan. 7 at 5 pm. At that time, the gates at Paul’s Slide will remain closed 24-hours a day as series of winter storms is forecast to pass over the Big Sur Coast over the next several days.

Caltrans will continue to take advantage of any break in inclement weather to assess road conditions and provide access as long as the conditions are favorable for public travel. We anticipate that an opportunity to reopen this closure may occur sometime in the middle of next week.

The southern closure of Highway 1 will remain at the elephant seal viewing area, four miles north of San Simeon. A significant slide, one mile south of Ragged Point, extends over both lanes of travel. As a result, the highway is impassible at this location and is expected to restrict access to Ragged Point from the south for several weeks.

Road information and updates can also be found on Caltrans District 5 Social Media platforms: Twitter at: @CaltransD5, Facebook at: Caltrans Central Coast (District 5) and Instagram at: Caltrans_D5.

Highway 1: Ragged Point – Deetjen’s Big Sur Inn: January 7 – January 17
There will be full closure of Highway 1 from Ragged Point in San Luis Obispo County to just south of Deetjen’s Big Sur Inn in Monterey County in anticipation of more rain and potential damage to the roadway. Caltrans will be looking for opportunities during this period to reopen the road during breaks in the weather as long as roadway conditions allow for safe travel.

Date:	Thursday, January 5, 2023, at 8:30 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 #8

 ONE DAY OPENING OF HIGHWAY 1 CLOSURE TO TAKE PLACE

FRIDAY JAN. 6 FROM 8 AM TO 5 PM

MONTEREY / SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTIES – Caltrans maintenance and engineering teams completed initial assessments of Highway 1 after the atmospheric river events over the last two days.

Due to the latest storm, a slide has occurred on Highway 1 in San Luis Obispo County approximately a mile south of Ragged Point. The slide will likely result in closure of Highway 1 at this location for several weeks to months depending on the weather. This location is referred to as Polar Star.

Ragged Point is effectively cut off from access from the south due to the Polar Star slide.

The southern closure of Highway 1 will remain at the elephant seal viewing area, approximately 10 miles south of Ragged Point and four miles north of San Simeon.

The northern limit for the Highway 1 closure remains just south of Deetjen’s Big Sur Inn in Monterey County.

Caltrans maintenance teams were able to clean up several slides in the roadway north of Ragged Point. Inspections will take place tomorrow morning at daybreak throughout the closure limits of Highway 1 to determine if it is safe to travel within the closure.

If the assessment is favorable, Highway 1 is scheduled to reopen between Ragged Point and Deetjen’s, on Friday Jan. 6, from 8 am to 5 pm. This opening is timed to take advantage of a forecasted break in the rain.

The express intent of this daylight reopening of Highway 1, to accommodate those community members who need to get out of the closure area a chance to head north and leave the closure.

It is also intended for local community members within the closure area to resupply themselves in preparation for an extended closure of Highway 1. Additionally, community members may wish to take advantage of this opening to leave the area ahead of anticipated storms.

Once Highway 1 closes between Ragged Point and Deetjen’s, on Friday Jan. 6 at 5 pm, that closure is expected to remain in effect for the next 10 days in anticipation of more rain and potential damage to the roadway. Caltrans will be looking for opportunities during this period to reopen the road during breaks in the weather as long as roadway conditions allow for safe travel.

Also, the gates at Paul’s Slide (PM 22) will be closed and locked day and night for the duration of this closure for public safety. Crews from Chavez Construction will continue to work removing debris from the catchment area at Paul’s Slide ahead of the next storm.

Caltrans has also entered into a $750,000 emergency contract with Souza Construction for repairs at Polar Star. The contractor is mobilizing, and assessments are ongoing.

Road information and updates can also be found on Caltrans District 5 Social Media platforms: Twitter at: @CaltransD5, Facebook at: Caltrans Central Coast (District 5) and Instagram at: Caltrans_D5.

Picture of slide on #Hwy1 from this morning at Polar Star, one mile south of Ragged Point. Contractor engaged to help clear. Full closure remains in place. Assessments ongoing. Continue to ask public to please keep out of the closure area which will permit crews to work safely.

The full closure is from near Deetjen’s to Elephant Seat Vista.

Evacuation Order for Yankee Point Community in Carmel effective immediately and until further notice. This includes areas:

-East of the Pacific Ocean
-South of Yankee Beach Way
-West of Yankee Point Drive
-North of Malpaso Creek Beach

Evacuation Map: bit.ly/3Za0Xc0

(Information obtained from MCSO twitter account)

It is no longer on the chp website, and a BSF person just confirmed that the road is open, but this is all very fluid re openings and closings, so check the chp website before traveling. Remember the road is closed at Mule Canyon, just north of Deetjens all the way to the elephant seal vista and that the gates at Paul’s Slide, just south of Lucia are closed. Please stay off the highways today.

Incident:

 00091 Type:

 CLOSURE of a Road Location:

 0 Sr1 Loc Desc:

 SR1 X MONASTERY BEACH Lat/Lon:

 36.521836 -121.928174 

Detail Information
8:56 AM	11	[19] 1039 MTRY COM
8:56 AM	10	[18] [Notification] [CHP]-Problem changed from 1125-Traffic Hazard to CLOSURE of a Road by CHP
8:55 AM	9	[17] [Notification] [CHP]-CALTRANS SUPERVISOR 97 SETTING UP HARD CLOSURE SB AT RIBERA AT MM 71.74 AND NB AT POINT LOBOS 70.42 AND ACTIVATED THE CMS AT CARMEL RIVER
8:54 AM	8	[16] A27-012 CPD CLOSURE
8:53 AM	7	[14] A27-022 SHUTTING DOWN SB SR1 AT RIBERA SO VEHS CAN BE ABLE TO TURN AROUND/NB SHUT DOWN AT POINT LOBOS PARK ENTRY /22 97 ON NORTH SIDE OF CLOSURE/ STATE PARKS REMAINING ON SCENE TO PREVENT PEOPLE FROM GOING INTO PARK
8:38 AM	6	[13] 1039 CALTRANS
8:34 AM	5	[12] 1039 27-S1 AT OFC/REQ ACTIVE SIGNS
8:33 AM	4	[11] 1039 STATE PARKS
8:28 AM	3	[8] [Notification] [CHP]-1039 CT SUPV // ENRT W/BARRICADES // ETA 15-20 MIN
8:26 AM	2	[6] 1039 CALTRANS
8:22 AM	1	[2] GETTING 2-3FT OF WATER ON BOTH LNS OF SR1

Here is a map that clarified the matter. It can be found here:

https://www.co.monterey.ca.us/government/departments-a-h/administrative-office/office-of-emergency-services/incidents/2023-winter-storm-atmospheric-river

01/05/2023 9:33 AM: The Monterey County Sheriff’s Office has issued an Evacuation Warning for areas of the Fourth Addition Neighborhood and Carmel Point effective immediately and until further notice. This includes areas:

• East of Valley View Avenue
• South of Santa Lucia Ave
• West of Rio Rd
• North of Dolores St/ 14th Ave/17th Ave

If you are in an Evacuation Warning Zone prepare to leave. Be ready to leave if an evacuation order is issued. Gather essential items now to be ready to go. If you feel unsafe, do not wait for an evacuation order, leave immediately. Check with your neighbors to ensure they have been made aware of this alert.,

The Nixle order below inaccurately says the Mission Fields Community. It is the Carmel Lagoon area.