FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

UPDATE #35

LANE OPENED THROUGH SLIDE ON HIGHWAY 1 

FOR EVACUATION PURPOSES

SOUTH OF TORRE CANYON BRIDGE

MONTEREY COUNTY – Crews have been able to create a one-lane opening for evacuation purposes on Highway 1 at a slide just south of the Torre Canyon Bridge, at PM 39.5.

Evacuation is now possible for residents and guests who have been isolated south of the slide.

Storm events starting tonight are likely to close this evacuation access because of the significant rains expected. Once the storms have passed, field efforts will continue to remove slide material and open the road for local residents and the public.

Highway 1 on the Big Sur coast remains closed between Ragged Point in San Luis Obispo County and Deetjen’s Inn in Monterey County at PM 42.2, due to slides and washouts from ongoing winter storm events.

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.

*credit to my Watch Duty friend and colleague Sekhar Padmanabhan for this question.

Today is the first day of Spring. Generally, I have done something specific regarding my favorite day of the year, but this year, someone forgot to tell Mother Nature.

Nonetheless, I want to remind myself that Spring will come…the sun will shine…the days will get longer. Here are some native flowers to remind us of what we have to look forward to.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

UPDATE #34

HIGHWAY 1 TO REMAIN CLOSED TODAY SOUTH OF TORRE CANYON BRIDGE

REOPENING OF A LANE FOR EVACUATION

EXPECTED TOMORROW IF WEATHER PERMITS

MONTEREY COUNTY – Crews were slowed by rain today in their efforts to clear a slide on Highway 1 in Monterey County, just south of the Torre Canyon Bridge, at PM 39.5

There will not be a reopening of Highway 1 today at PM 39.5.

Residents and visitors currently trapped south of the slide and wishing to evacuate should now expect a lane to open on Monday March 20.

This opening is anticipated to be for evacuation purposes only. 

An update will be provided about the timing of the opening of a lane for evacuation as more information becomes available.

We will also be working with stakeholders to develop an access plan for residents to resupply.

Crews will return at first light tomorrow to continue to clear slide material and stabilize the slope.

Highway 1 on the Big Sur coast remains closed between Ragged Point in San Luis Obispo County and Deetjen’s Inn in Monterey County at PM 42.2, due to slides and washouts from ongoing winter storm events.

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.

Photos by Anneliese Agren taken on Friday, 3/17. It is the collapse of the highway at the Willow Springs Caltrans yard, and the hard closure of Highway One on the southern end, although there are some additional problem areas from this point to Ragged Point, which is a guarded closure.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

UPDATE #33

CLOSURES REMAIN IN EFFECT ON HIGHWAY 1 WITH PROGRESS MADE ON MONTEREY COUNTY SLIDE AT PM 39.5

MONTEREY / SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTIES – Highway 1 on the Big Sur coast remains closed between Ragged Point in San Luis Obispo County and Deetjen’s Inn in Monterey County at PM 42.2, due to slides and washouts from ongoing winter storm events.

Crews continue to work at a slide which has covered the roadway at PM 39.5 in Monterey County, south of the Torre Canyon Bridge.

Crews believe that by the afternoon of Sunday March 19, a lane may be opened for residents and visitors currently trapped south of the closure to evacuate. An announcement of the timing of this opening will be made on social media.

This opening on Sunday afternoon is intended to facilitate evacuation of residents and guests. It is not intended for the general public to travel in and out of this slide area.

An update will be provided when more information becomes available on the full reopening of Highway 1 at this location.

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 MM 39.5 north of Partington

This one was really hard for me to post as I am down here on the South Coast dealing with road washout issues and slides, and I just had such a gut reaction when I received this, I didn’t want to post it, but then realized that people like Martha Diehl who uses the Old Coast Road at Bixby Bridge all the time, and Dana Carnazzo, who lives there, would like to know about this, so I am posting it.

Notification of Upcoming Film Activity – Big Sur Area 

Date: Saturday 3/18/23

To: Big Sur Residents and Businesses 

From: Mr. Location Scout / Dark Spark Media

Re: Film Production Activity on Highway 1 in the Big Sur Area on 3/24/23.

In an effort to better communicate with Big Sur residents regarding upcoming filming activities, this is to notify you of an upcoming State permitted Photo/Video shoot scheduled for 3/24/23. from 9:00am to 7:30pm. Our work will require Intermittent Traffic Control (ITC) in a few selective sections of Highway 1 throughout the day starting near Brewer’s Bridge (Mile Marker 49.40) in the beginning of the day leading up Rocky Creek Bridge (Mile Marker 60.05) by the end of the day. As per our permit, turnouts along our route, will be used for the parking of production vehicles. 

We will be hiring California Highway Patrol officers to facilitate the ITC – ensuring public safety and access with only brief traffic holds of 3 to 5 minutes. This is a fairly small photo/videoshoot so most of our trucks and equipment will be stationed nearto our shoot at all times. 

We have taken all steps to ensure that the required permits have been obtained from Caltrans and the State of California and our production team will be complying with restrictions necessary for a safe and efficient shoot. Dark Spark Media, the production company organizing this shoot, would like to show its appreciation to the community with a donation to the Mid-Coast Fire Brigade. 

Thank you for your cooperation and understanding. I hope this advance notice is helpful for you to plan your day. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to reach out to the Location Manager or Producer, or to our local Film Commissioner listed below. 

Sincerely, 

Jeff Clark, Location Manager 

Mr. Location Scout

Phone: (831) 521-3710

Email: Info@MrLocationScout.com

Collin Porteus, Producer
Dark Spark Media

Phone: 248-884-4171 
Email: collin@darkspark.com

Karen Nordstrand, Film Commissioner
Monterey County Film Commission

Phone: (831) 646-0910
Email: Karen@filmmonterey.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

UPDATE #32

HIGHWAY 1 TO CLOSE NORTH OF GORDA AT 4:30 PM TODAY

SLIDE CONTINUES TO CLOSE HIGHWAY 1 AT PM 39.5

MONTEREY / SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTIES – A full closure of Highway 1 will go into effect today at 4:30 this afternoon at PM 10.6, just north of the town of Gorda, due to a serious slip out of the roadway.

Residents who live north of PM 10.6 will have this one opportunity today to travel to the south if they desire.

At PM 39.5, south of the Torre Canyon Bridge, a slide continues to cover the roadway.

Crews are working with a long reach excavator today and hope to perform rock scaling tomorrow. We hope to get Highway 1 at PM 39.5 reopened by Sunday or Monday.

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.

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/

###

Kevin Drabinski

Public Information Officer

This is a notification from Alert Monterey County:

Please click here to acknowledge receipt of this message

The Monterey County Sheriff’s Office has issued an Evacuation Warning for areas of the Big Sur Community between Paul’s Slide and Gilberts’ Slide. 

Residents may evacuate via Highway 1 to the south until 4 PM today, March 17th, 2023, prior to Gilberts’ slide becoming a hard closure. The Gilberts’ Slide is located directly north of the CalTrans Willow Springs Station. 

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. 

If you need animal sheltering, call the SPCA at 831-373-2631. Monitor local media, social media, and Nixle alerts for updates. Call 2-1-1 for information. Call 9-1-1 only if you have a life-threatening emergency. 

To view an Evacuation Map: https://bit.ly/3Za0Xc0

I tried to count them, and we are now at least 4 or 5 islands, and another is being created tonight.

At end of shift tonight, Caltrans Willow Springs Station will be setting up K-rails to block highway 1 at the road collapse at their north gate. I have published several photos of that, but here are two from this am.