A rest stop in the southbound lanes of Highway 1 at the Rocky Creek Bridge on Monday, April 1, 2024 in Big Sur, California. (AP Photo/Nic Coury)
BIG SUR — Caltrans plans to spend about $27 million to repair a section of Highway 1 in Big Sur after a section of the road collapsed into the ocean last month, just in time for summer travel. Officials said.
Caltrans expects initial repair work to stabilize the scenic and unstable highway edge south of the Rocky Creek Bridge to be completed by Memorial Day, May 27. There is.
“We know how important Highway 1 is to our local economy, especially during the summer months, which is why we are committed to reopening the roadway as quickly and safely as possible, while also increasing resilience to future extreme weather events. “We are working on it,” he said. California Trans Director Tony Tavares said in a statement.
Traffic has been reduced to one lane since the collapse over Easter weekend. Access to Big Sur is currently limited to residents with valid ID and emergency personnel, and a convoy will run twice a day down one lane of the freeway to allow local residents access to and from Big Sur. It has become. One-way traffic will remain in place until roadwork is completed and passes safety inspections, blocking access to some of Big Sur's most popular locations. ”
The highway is closed to general traffic from north of Palo Colorado to just south of Limekiln State Park. The closed section is approximately 27 miles south of Monterey.
But officials say people are already clamoring to go to Big Sur, with an estimated 50 to 60 cars carrying tourists passing by each day.
Once the roadway edge is stabilized, crews will install temporary traffic lights and open Highway 1 to unrestricted traffic using alternating one-way traffic control.
“The installation of the temporary signal will be a major milestone,” said Caltrans District 5 spokesperson Kevin Drabinsky.
Big Sur, a 90-mile stretch of coastline between Carmel in the north and San Simeon in the south, is a popular tourist destination year-round, but especially between April and October. With at least 300 days of sunshine a year, dramatic cliffs, towering redwoods, and breathtaking ocean views, tourism officials say an estimated 4.5 million to 7 million people visit the coastal region annually. It is said to be injecting hundreds of millions of dollars into the local economy.
But when the rain-soaked Highway 1 is closed, the economy takes a hit.
Kirk Gaffir, president of the Big Sur Chamber of Commerce, estimates that hotels, art galleries, restaurants, parks and shops are collectively losing hundreds of thousands of dollars a day due to recent road closures.
Ghafir and other community leaders are hopeful that the restoration work will proceed as planned and that the community will recover soon.
“The Big Sur community looks forward to the return of normal access from the north side during the summer months, a critical time for guest service operations, while work continues to repair road damage caused by a rock collapse on the southern tip of Big Sur. 'Sir,' said Line Leuzinger, president of the Big Sur Community Association, an organization focused on the health, safety and well-being of residents and visitors.
With a year-round population of just 2,000 people, Big Sur relies on tourist revenue to survive, but five years ago all tourism became quite overwhelming.
When photos and reports of misbehaving tourists began to mount in the coastal community, an anonymous resident started an Instagram account called BigSurHatesYou. The aim was to discourage crowds of tourists from trampling wildflowers, stealing seashells from beaches, illegally camping and causing traffic jams on Highway 1 while taking selfies. .
To emphasize this point, the Big Sur Community Association created the “Big Sur Pledge,” urging visitors to obey the rules of the road, respect natural resources, camp only in permitted areas, and take fire safety precautions. , asked to leave no trace.
It seemed to work.
“The Big Sur Pledge has been a success in that thousands of people have signed it, drawing attention to thoughtful, low-impact ways residents can enjoy Big Sur,” Leuzinger said. .
Caltrans repairs underway
Since the road collapse on March 30, Caltrans has widened the northbound shoulder to improve drainage and installed a concrete barrier along the centerline to keep workers and convoys safe. and placed a stone dowel next to the west end of the road. Caltrans said further work is planned to stabilize the road along the bluff.
Improved drainage at the site is expected to make the road more resistant to extreme weather, which Caltrans said caused the recent landslide in the first place. Caltrans hopes to have the work completed by Memorial Day, but Mother Nature is actually in charge. Winds cannot exceed 40 kilometers per hour, as some operations require workers to work from crane baskets above the edge of the road. According to Caltrans, work may be delayed due to heavy rain.
Meanwhile, Caltrans said crews are making repairs at three other large slides on Highway 1 in Big Sur.
Construction is underway on the Dolan Point Slide, located six miles south of Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park, and that section of the road is expected to reopen in mid-May. Repairs to the Regent's Slide will begin within the next three weeks and are expected to be completed 100 business days after crews begin work, Caltrans said. That section of the highway is scheduled to reopen in early fall. At Paul's Slide, crews are preparing to make final adjustments to the road, which are also expected to begin in the coming weeks.
