| Date: | Tuesday, March 12, 2024 |
| 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
UPDATE #3
REPAIRS CONTINUE TO PROGRESS AT THREE SLIDES ON HIGHWAY 1
ON THE BIG SUR COAST
MONTEREY COUNTY – Crews continue to make progress with repairs at three major slide locations on Highway 1. Although a 12.1-mile closure of Highway 1 is in place due to these repairs, the vast majority of Highway 1 remains open for travelers. Highway 1 remains open from the Monterey/Carmel area to just south of the Esalen Institute, and from the Cambria/San Simeon area to just south of Limekiln State Park.
Progress at the three slide locations has been delayed as expected by a series of rain events. However, the repair sites have been able to safeguard progress and return to production in the immediate aftermath of wet weather.
The northernmost of the three repair sites is at the Dolan Point Slide at Post Mile 29.5. Crews have continued to haul slide material away from the slide as spider excavators have worked their way down the slope. Crews have also been able to loosen debris material using equipment stationed in the roadway. Over the next few weeks crews expect to complete the slide repair and install a drapery system over the face of the slide to protect the highway from any rockfall in the future. The final installation of the drapery system will be completed once an assist helicopter has been scheduled. Repairs are estimated to be completed at the Dolan Point Slide by May 1.
Drone radar surveys have been completed at the Regent’s Slide at PM 27.8. This data has been processed and is being used in the development of a final repair design. Parallel efforts are being made to secure necessary environmental clearances for the repair work to begin. Over the coming weeks, it is expected that a final repair design will be completed and once approval from relevant environmental agencies has been issued, an estimate will be provided for the completion of repairs at Regent’s Slide.
Crews have continued to make progress working seven days a week at Paul’s Slide at PM 22 and the estimated date for a full reopening of Highway 1 there continues to be late spring of 2024. Rock scaling crews brought down material from the slopes above the repair site in late February as slide activity has continued to be a feature that has consistently accompanied these repairs.
Daily convoys have continued to be scheduled through Paul’s Slide in the north and southbound direction at 8 am and 4 pm. These convoys allow for local residents living north of Paul’s Slide to travel south through Paul’s Slide to secure supplies now that travel to the north is blocked by the Dolan Point and Regent’s Slides. Because passage through Paul’s Slide is by way of a dirt roadbed, convoys will continue as long as site conditions and weather make for safe travel.
As a result of ongoing repairs at these three slides, the northern closure point on Highway 1 remains at Lime Creek at PM 32.1. The southern closure point remains at PM 20, just south of Limekiln State Park, making for a 12.1-mile closure on the coast.
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.
This is the slide at Dolan Point. No photo of Regent Slide or Paul’s provided.
