What:
After more than a year and $54 million in repairs, California’s Highway 1 is fully open again. The work to realign a portion of the highway north of Cambria, Calif. — which was devastated during a landslide in May 2017 — is officially complete.
Why It Matters:
Highway 1 — also known as Pacific Coast Highway — is iconic. The 656-mile north-south route hugs the coastline, providing one heck of a road trip from Orange County in the south up through Los Angeles, Ventura, the Central Coast, Big Sur, the Bay Area and Mendocino County (or vice versa). Now is a great time to seize on the publicity the route is getting to sell trips that span the entire route or to areas affected by recent closures. (www.caltrans.ca.gov)
Fast Facts:
- A portion of Highway 1, about nine miles north of the San Luis Obispo/Monterey County line, reopened July 18.
- The Mud Creek portion cost $54 million to repair and involved the reconstruction of a quarter mile of roadway.
- The new highway extends out towards the ocean upwards of 250 from the original highway.
- The roadway is 150 to 260 feet above sea level and buttressed with a series of embankments, berms, rocks, netting, culverts and other stabilizing material.
- Caltrans warns that not all roadwork is complete, and travelers may confront one-way traffic controls on weekdays.
