Caltrans: Highway 1 Storm Repair Work At Big Sur To Cost $11 Million; Reopening Expected In Summer
MONTEREY COUNTY (CBS SF) – Work to replace a section of Highway 1 along Big Sur that was damaged during a recent winter storm is scheduled to begin next week and is expected to continue until summer, Caltrans said.
A debris flow from last year's massive Dolan Fire wiped out a 150 foot section of the roadway near Rat Creek on January 28.
Caltrans said in a statement that repairs would begin starting Monday, with crews working to repair the section seven days a week during daylight hours.
"Highway 1 is an iconic roadway that connects travelers with small businesses on the Central Coast, and we're focused on restoring travel on this section by early summer," said Caltrans Director Toks Omishakin.
Caltrans announced they have decided to reconnect Highway 1 with an "enhanced fill" option, filling the canyon with dirt in a large "V" shape and constructing a new road on top of the fill. Crews will also replace the main drainage system at Rat Creek to help withstand future debris flows, rising sea levels and coastal erosion.
Repairs to the damaged stretch of Highway 1 are estimated to cost $11.5 million, which includes $5 million in emergency repairs north of Rat Creek.
Highway 1 between the Lime Creek Bridge and Big Creek Vista Point will remain closed through the repairs.
The upcoming project is the second major repair work in five years on Highway 1 along the picturesque coastline. In 2017, a massive mudslide, billed as one of the largest in state history, prompted the closure of the roadway in southern Monterey County for 14 months.