No estimated time for reopening of Highway 41 after rockslide

A rockslide on Sunday evening prompted the closure of a key stretch of Highway 41, a vital route connecting San Luis Obispo County to California’s I-5 corridor. The slide occurred along a five-mile segment of the highway about 10 minutes north of Cholame.

For travelers like Roy Diaz and his wife, who were driving from Fresno to Santa Maria, the closure meant a sudden change in plans.

“Our daughter had warned us, but I was assuming it was going to be fairly minor,” Diaz said. “But we looked it up on the internet and there's a big hole. Half the road is gone.”

Instead of turning onto Highway 41, the couple had to continue southbound on Highway 33 and connect to Highway 46 toward Bakersfield, adding 35 to 40 minutes to their trip.

According to Caltrans, extended detours could affect thousands of drivers each day. The agency says this area can see up to 10,000 vehicles per hour during peak travel periods.

Images from the scene show the rockslide shortly after it happened Sunday night, and again on Monday morning in daylight.

Contributed

Caltrans officials confirmed on-site that recent weather conditions, including rainfall, likely triggered the slide.

For now, travelers heading east from San Luis Obispo County will need to use Highway 46 toward Bakersfield to connect with Highway 33 or Interstate 5.

Jim Shivers, spokesperson for Caltrans District 5, said situations like this are “fluid” and that continued rain could impact the timeline for reopening Highway 41.

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