| Date: | Monday, September 22, 2025 |
| District: | 05 – Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, Monterey, San Benito, and Santa Cruz Counties |
| Contact: | Celeste Morales or Kevin Drabinski |
| Phone: | (805) 549-3237 or (805) 549-3138 |
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Updated Timeline for Completion of Highway 1 at Regent’s Slide
MONTEREY COUNTY – Caltrans announced today that Highway 1 at Regent’s Slide is expected to reopen to through traffic by the end of March 2026. The projected date is an estimate based on repair progress but could be influenced by additional slide activity that has posed significant safety concerns. Seasonal weather effects on site conditions may also impact the estimated reopening timeline. Caltrans will continue to provide regular updates.
“We are doing everything in our power to return this vital section of roadway to residents, businesses, and travelers who have demonstrated patience and understanding during the repair effort,” said Caltrans District 5 Director Scott Eades. “Our work is dedicated to them, and this Regent’s Slide reopening estimate allows people to plan ahead and prepare for when Highway 1 is fully reopen once again.”
Regent’s Slide occurred on February 9, 2024, when a landslide that originated 450 feet above the roadway buried a segment of Highway 1 below. The combination of Regent’s Slide and a previously cleared slide six miles south has prevented through travel on the Big Sur coast since January 15, 2023. Under challenging site conditions highlighted by a geologically active landmass, crews have offset safety concerns with technological innovations in the field to keep the project on track. To date 300,000 cubic yards of material has been removed with 250,000 remaining until completion.
A Safety-First Approach
Crew member safety at Regent’s Slide has been a priority since the outset of the operation. Workers are removing large volumes of soil and rock with the goal of creating a stable surface that will allow for the highway to reopen.
Dormant and active landslides resulting from millions of years of geologic activity surround the repair site, posing potential threats to worker safety and stability of the steep slopes. Caltrans has maintained worker safety with consistent and vigilant monitoring methods, leveraging the latest equipment and technology to minimize risk and inform safety-first decision-making.
The department also utilizes geotechnical instruments, surface measurements and drone surveys to evaluate stability of the Regent’s Slide work area.
Innovative Approaches
Caltrans has mitigated safety risks by deploying unmanned, remote-controlled equipment that has allowed bulldozers and excavators to resume progress without putting workers in harm’s way.
In May 2025, crews stabilized the slide by installing dowels and steel bars deep into the ground. This strategy has prevented any further slide activity and allowed the project to continue. To date, more than 3,500 dowels have been placed.
The Big Sur Coast Welcomes Your Visit
Travelers from Northern California can still access historic bridges, waterfalls, restaurants and lodging amenities along the Big Sur coast. Visitors from Southern California can reach the endearing communities of Lucia, Gorda, Ragged Point, San Simeon and Cambria via Highway 1.
Highway 1 on the Big Sur coast is a vital roadway for residents and the regional business community. With the exception of the 6.8-mile closure near Regent’s Slide, over 100 miles of the highway remain open between Cambria and Carmel.
For additional travel tips, two destination marketing organizations provide up-to-date information that will make visits to Big Sur more convenient and memorable. For details, please visit https://www.slocal.com/ and https://www.seemonterey.com/.
Road information and updates can also be found on Caltrans District 5 Social Media platforms: X/Twitter at: @CaltransD5, Facebook at: Caltrans Central Coast (District 5) and Instagram at: Caltrans_D5.
For information about transportation projects transforming communities throughout the state, visit: Build.ca.gov.
Our crews deserve to get home safely too.
Drive slowly and carefully in work zones.
CHP Traffic Incident Information Page: http://cad.chp.ca.gov
Traveler information at: https://quickmap.dot.ca.gov/
| #BeWorkZoneAlert | Twitter | Facebook | YouTube |
Kevin Drabinski
Public Information Officer
Just like Pauls Slide updates.
“We’re gonna tell you we plan to open it in spring all the while we know we aren’t going to be working on it for a majority of the winter and it will slide more so we’ll just say it’s not going to open because of the new slide activity and we’ll have an update for you in the summer…”
Why (details, please) are “new” slides occurring? What factors are involved–in order of degree of influence?
Three years of closure then, first Paul’s and then Regent’s. Has it ever been this long in the past?
Those photos scare the crap out of me!!!
No, never this long. It has been tremendously difficult on the school, students, families, and even us single folks, particularly those with doctors up on the northern end.
I can only imagine… that is really rough to deal with every day.