After touting the complete reopening of Hwy 1 through Big Sur after two years of being blocked by a massive landslide, Caltrans is installing a traffic signal that will cause delays for nearly a year.
A temporary traffic signal on Hwy 1 near the Pfeiffer Canyon Bridge went active June 25 and will stay in place until next March (2027).
The signal is at mile marker 44, 1.1 miles south of the Pfeiffer Canyon Bridge, which Caltrans had to demolish and replace after storms in 2017 damaged the supports and it began to collapse.
Caltrans Dist. 5 spokesperson, Ashton Harris, said, “This signal will operate 24/7 and travelers can expect delays of up to 10 minutes, with longer impacts during busy travel during the weekends.”
The signal is in connection with the Coastlands II project, which will replace a retaining wall holding up the roadway. The project also involves stabilizing the slope, improving drainage and, “strengthening the long-term resiliency of the roadway,” Harris said.
The signal, which will alternate 1-lane of traffic through the job site will be up for the duration of the project. Though next March is the target date, the duration of the job will depend on the weather next winter.
Travelers could be delayed going through the Pfeiffer Canyon Bridge area, the scenic highway is still fully passable from SLO County to Carmel.
For road information on this and other roadways in Dist. 5, see: CaltransD5 on X; Facebook at Caltrans Central Coast (District 5), or Instagram at: Caltrans_D5.
