Big Sur road repair set for this summer

Hwy. 1 washout will be fixed, barring any more weather delays

“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.”

Toks Omishakin, Caltrans director

Repairs on the chunk of Scenic Highway 1 near Big Sur that crumbled into the Pacific Ocean after a rainstorm last month are expected to be completed early this summer, Caltrans officials said.

But the announcement came with a warning: Any additional storms on the tail end of California’s rainy season could delay repairs.

A torrential storm dumped several inches of rain over the area on Jan. 28, causing debris from the Dolan Fire burn scar to wash out a 150foot portion of the highway, about 15 miles south of the center of Big Sur and about 30 miles north of the MontereySan Luis Obsipo County line.

Crews will work seven days a week during daylight hours, with longer shifts possible later in the project. The repairs are expected to cost $11.5 million. Papich Construction of Arroyo Grade is the contractor.

The repairs, which involve moving “tens of thousands of cubic yards of material,” Caltrans said, will begin March 1, and involve filling the Vshaped gap left in the highway and constructing a new road on top. Repairs will also in

clude improvements to the main drainage system at nearby Rat Creek, which crews hope will prevent future washouts.

The work is expected to be completed by early summer, officials said, but they did not provide a more specific timeline.

“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,” Caltrans Director Toks Omishakin said in a statement.

While this year’s washout did not leave hundreds of residents trapped like previous slides, it still caused headaches for residents south of the portion of missing highway. Trips north for essential services will take hours longer than usual for some residents.

About 5 miles of Highway 1 will stay closed to all traffic during repairs, officials said.

LiPo Ching / Special to The Chronicle Caltrans says crews will work seven days a week to repair the collapsed section of Highway 1 near Big Sur.

Kodiak Greenwood / Special to The Chronicle Heavy rains over the Dolan Fire scar in January caused a 150foot section of the scenic byway to wash out into the ocean.

LiPo Ching / Special to The Chronicle Caltrans and constructions crews work on the collapsed section of Highway 1 along the Big Sur coast.