HIGHWAY 1 TO REOPEN IN SUMMER AFTER REPAIR
Emergency repairs on Highway 1 at Rat Creek, where a debris flow washed out a 150-foot section in January forcing the closure of the roadway, will begin Monday with an estimated reopening of the highway along the Big Sur Coast for early summer 2021.
“The repairs for Highway 1 at Rat Creek include improvements that can prevent similar damage from future debris flows,” said Caltrans District 5 Director Tim Gubbins in a press release. “We look forward to swiftly making these repairs so that all travelers will have a safe and resilient stretch of highway.”
After assessing the damage, removing debris and making minor repairs, the roadway will be reconnected at Rat Creek with an enhanced fill option. Caltrans will fill the canyon with dirt in a large v-shape and construct a new road on top of the fill.
The repairs will cost an estimated $11.5 million, including $5 million in ongoing emergency repairs north of Rat Creek. The contractor for the project is Papich Construction of Arroyo Grande.
The road failure along the stretch of Highway 1 on the Big Sur Coast occurred Jan. 28 during an atmospheric river storm when mud and debris from the burn scar left by the Dolan Fire overtook a culvert, sending the flow over Highway 1 and causing it to erode back toward the hillside.
“Caltrans crews have been on site since this highway section washed out in the recent storms to assess the damage, and we’re pleased to announce emergency construction begins next week to repair and reconnect the highway,” said Caltrans Director Toks Omishakin in the announcement. “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.”
The enhanced fill option also involves replacing the main drainage system at Rat Creek with an oversized main culvert, a secondary culvert and smaller overflow culverts closer to the highway grade. This will increase the capacity of the drainage system, add redundancies designed to withstand future debris flows and enhance the resiliency and sustainability of the highway against rising sea level and coastal erosion, said Caltrans.
About five miles of Highway 1 will be closed to all vehicle, pedestrian and bicycle traffic during repairs. The northern turnaround is two miles north of Rat Creek at the Lime Creek Bridge at PM 32.1, and the southern closure is at Big Creek Vista Point at PM 27.3.
Caltrans said the plan calls for work seven days a week during daylight hours, with longer shifts possible as the project progresses. The repair work involves the manipulation of tens of thousands of cubic yards of material, and rain could cause delays. Caltrans will adjust the timetable, as necessary.
All businesses and activities south of Rat Creek in communities including Lucia, Gorda, Treebones, Ragged Point, San Simeon and Cambria will continue to remain accessible from the south on Highway 1. Sim
ilarly, the entire stretch of Highway 1 north of the closure, from Monterey and Carmel to the businesses and recreational facilities of the greater Big Sur area will be open for business and unaffected by the closure. Only through traffic on Highway 1 is affected by the washout at Rat Creek.