Rocks, mud and debris overtopped a concrete barrier on the northbound shoulder of Hwy 1 at Regent’s Slide, forcing Caltrans to close the highway again, after reopening it in mid-January after nearly two years being closed. Photo courtesy Caltrans
A little over a month after reopening early, Caltrans had to again close Hwy 1 at Regent’s Slide, after heavy rains washed mud and rocks down the barren slope onto the roadway.
“A 6.8-mile segment of Highway 1 near Regent’s Slide remains closed due to ongoing debris cleanup as a result of ongoing winter storms,” reads a news release from Caltrans spokesman, Kevin Drabinski dated Feb. 17.
Hwy 1 was closed from 2-miles north of Lucia, Drabinsky said, to 1-mile south of the Esalen Institute. Message and directional signs are in place to alert travelers in advance of this closure.”
Regent’s Slide, which first came down Feb. 9, 2024, closed the scenic highway to through traffic until it was reopened Jan. 14, a date that was over two months earlier than Caltrans had predicted and touted by Gov, Gavin Newsom as a major accomplishment. Mother Nature apparently had other ideas.
“The slope above the roadway at Regent’s Slide remains stable,” Drabinsky said. “However, the catchment area at the base of the slope has filled with debris that has eroded during recent rains.
“This erosion activity is an expected outcome following recent slide repairs and will continue as the slope seasons over time.”
The mud flow washed over the concrete barriers that were set alongside the roadway at the base of the 450-foot slide scar.
Large rocks and a lot of mud collected on the roadway forcing the closure so cleanup crews can get to work.
“Crews will begin to clear debris from the catchment area during upcoming breaks in the rain,” Drabinsky said. “This cleanup effort is dependent on weather and site conditions. Updates will be provided as work progresses and at present there is no estimated time for a full reopening.”
A low-pressure system offshore of California that came in Feb. 15 brought up a fierce storm from the south that drenched the Central Coast with, at times, down pouring rain.
The Big Sur area recorded 5.29-inches in that multi-day storm and got 1.34” overnight (Feb. 16-17).
In Morro Bay the Fire Department recorded 1.95” for the Feb. 16 storm.
Papich Const., got the contract, expected to top $80 million, to repair Regent’s Slide and used some high-tech equipment including remote-controlled excavators to remove a massive amount of loose debris on the slope, as well as the debris that buried the roadway.
During the work, two other slide areas — one above and another to the side — of the main slide started to open up and Papich went to work dealing with those areas, too, adding greatly to the duration of the closure.
Road information and updates can be found on Caltrans Dist. 5 Social Media platforms: on Twitter at: CaltransD5; Facebook at: Caltrans Central Coast (District 5); and on Instagram at: Caltrans_D5.
The Highway Patrol has traffic Incident information available online as well, see: cad.chp.ca.gov; and traveler information is at: quickmap.dot.ca.gov.
As winter appears to not yet be done with us, readers are reminded to slow down in construction zones and slowdown in general when rain is falling.
