A stretch of California's iconic Highway 1, renowned for its dramatic coastal views between Los Angeles and San Francisco, has reopened after being closed for nearly three years due to multiple landslides. The section in the Big Sur area, a popular tourist destination, was severed in January 2023 following severe winter storms, with subsequent slides in 2024 causing further damage.
The $82.6 million (£65 million) repair project involved removing over 300,000 cubic yards of debris and installing steel reinforcements up to 60 feet long to stabilise the hillside. California Governor Gavin Newsom hailed the reopening as a vital boost for local businesses and communities, calling the highway 'the lifeblood of the Big Sur economy'.
The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) used remote-controlled equipment to safely operate bulldozers and excavators on what it described as 'one of California's most challenging slopes'. Crews worked seven days a week when possible to complete the repairs, which were initially expected to finish in March 2024 but were delayed by a moderate slide last week.
Highway 1 has a long history of closures due to its location in a geologically active area, with a 75-mile stretch of the Big Sur coastline containing over 1,500 mapped landslides, according to the US Geological Survey. Local state senator John Laird described the road as a 'lifeline' for the community, which has endured extraordinary challenges during the closure.
