After facing fires, pounding winter rains, and hill slides – access to Big Sur has finally been restored!
During the past 18 months, parts of the scenic area have been inaccessible to anyone but locals due to the repercussions of extreme weather conditions. A commute that usually would take about 20 to 30 minutes to reach neighboring towns, stretched into an unbearable 90-minute commute.
Crews have been working on the roadway since May of 2017 after a landslide displaced 6 million cubic yards of debris and buried the highway under 40 feet of dirt. Not only did Big Sur get divided into north and south sections, the catastrophe created 2,400 feet of new shoreline. Caltrans spent over $54 million in repairments and reconstruction.
Big Sur residents were extremely happy to hear the news of Wednesday’s reopening of Highway 1! Many locals and visitors alike are relieved finally cruise the California Coast again. Additionally, Big Sur hotels, restaurants, and wedding planner are happy to be back in busy and hope that travelers bring tourist dollars back into their community!
The elephant seals couldn't be happier that their stretch of #Hwy1 is set to reopen this week. My video guide to top #outdoor adventures along this route @msn https://t.co/hCOGIcCbVG #visitcalifornia #theoriginalroadtrip #nationalforests pic.twitter.com/tLHNdhQjqz
— Darley Newman (@DarleyNewman) July 18, 2018