Has the end of Hwy. 1's long closure arrived? 'We've faced many challenges'

Ongoing Challenges in Reopening Highway 1 After Major Landslide

More than a year of extensive repair work by Caltrans has removed over 500,000 cubic yards of debris from a massive landslide that has blocked Highway 1 along the Big Sur coast. Despite this progress, officials have not yet determined when the road will be fully reopened to traffic.

Since 2023, travelers have been unable to drive all the way from San Luis Obispo County to Monterey due to a series of landslides caused by severe winter weather. Among these, Regent’s Slide is the largest and remains the primary obstacle. State Department of Transportation and Caltrans officials recently visited the site and indicated that the slide may continue to block the highway for the foreseeable future.

California State Transportation Agency Secretary Toks Omishakin highlighted the unique challenges posed by Regent’s Slide during the visit. He noted that the slide's location and size have made it more complex than initially anticipated. "It's a unique project, even though this part of the state sees more slides of this type than anywhere else on this segment of Highway 1," Omishakin said. "Still, it's hard to make these predictions because of everything from weather-related activity to climate change and on and on and on."

Omishakin also mentioned that while the team is working to provide a clearer timeline, they expect to announce a projected date for reopening by mid-September. "By mid-September, we will be able to give a time frame of when we believe we can get this roadway back open to the citizens, business owners and the tourists that come into this area," he added.

Why Is the Reopening Taking So Long?

Caltrans District 5 Director Scott Eades explained that several factors have contributed to the extended timeline for repairing Regent’s Slide. Initially, efforts to clear the debris were successful, but as work progressed, new fissures appeared at higher elevations than where crews were operating.

This development forced Caltrans to reassess its approach. The slide's height increased from around 450 feet to more than 650 feet, requiring crews to move their staging areas higher up the slope multiple times over the past year. Eades emphasized that the slide is still active and continues to move on its own, especially when additional material is placed on top of it.

"We're constantly monitoring and making sure that we can work safely and move the material as quickly as we can down the hill," Eades said. Even with crews working nearly all available daylight hours, including weekends, the process has been slow due to safety concerns.

In recent months, Caltrans has deployed remote-controlled digging equipment to the top of the slide to reduce risk. As the slope continues to erode naturally, the agency has also used shear dowels—steel bars and rebar inserted up to 60 feet into the slope—to stabilize the area.

Eades described the evolving strategy as a result of ongoing challenges. "We've had a lot of setbacks with this project, trying to get the slide material down the hill as efficiently and effectively as we could, making surgical cuts at first, and then we kept seeing movements behind us," he said. "That's really changed our strategy over time, and it's now the reason we have this shear doweling."

No End in Sight for Repair Work

Despite the delays, Caltrans is working to ensure that the Regent’s Slide area is better prepared for future challenges. This includes expanding some culverts along the road and reinforcing existing creekbeds to prevent catastrophic erosion. Eades emphasized that the goal is to make the area more resilient against similar incidents.

Omishakin confirmed that there are no plans to close Highway 1 permanently, even as the challenges to its viability increase over time. "This is probably one of the most scenic highways in the world, but because of that scenic beauty that we've created by building this highway here 80-plus years ago, you're also going to continue to see some of those challenges that we've seen," he said.