Transportation officials have announced the official reopening date for Highway 1 at Regent’s Slide along the Big Sur coast.
“You know, it is an attraction. People come from all over the world to drive up Highway 1,” said Bette Bardeen, Cayucos resident.
A large landslide closed the 6.8-mile-long section of Highway 1 in January 2024.
Caltrans spokesperson Kevin Drabinski says the area is set to reopen in March of next year; however, it will be weather-dependent.
“Our crews are working seven days a week all daylight hours, but if there’s rain and it gets slippery out there and too dangerous for our crews, we will pull off,” Drabinski said.
Crews are taking a top-down approach to remove debris material and leave a stable slope.
“The remote-controlled equipment allowed us to work on an unstable slope, and once that slide was cleared, we’ve gone back and shored up with the sheared dowels the slope above us, providing for the safety of crews and a stable slope,” Drabinski said.
The work, however, has come with constant challenges.
“Every slide on the Big Sur coast has its own personality. Regent’s Slide does not have a great personality. It’s high, steep, and continues to move,” Drabinski said.
The years-long closure has left businesses, like the Highway 41 Antique Emporium in Morro Bay, feeling the effects.
“There was obviously more of a route for people to have access to. When it’s closed, they have to come over on the 101. A lot of people said we are going to keep going, so we did lose that business. We’ll be really happy when it’s fully reopened,” said Francine Esposito, Highway 41 Antique Emporium owner.
“I think there will be more visitors, especially when it reopens, because people have been waiting a long time,” said Bette Bardeen, Cayucos resident.
Drabinski says Caltrans will be providing updates every month as it gets closer to the opening date.
