Caltrans announced Thursday it will reopen Highway 1 at Rat Creek in Monterey County by April 30, nearly two months ahead of its target date.
The highway has been closed since January 28 following a mudslide that washed out 150 feet of the road, providing stunning images.
The agency estimated an early summer reopening when repairs began on March 1, but was able to accelerate their original timeline due to favorable weather conditions, according to a statement.
"Reopening Highway 1 at Rat Creek just three months after a washout of this magnitude is great news for residents, recreationalists, business owners, and those who move goods through this region," said Caltrans Director Toks Omishakin. "Caltrans has been focused on the emergency work needed to increase the resiliency of this highway section to extreme weather, and the fixes made will allow for safe travel."
The earlier reopening date is welcome news for surrounding businesses at Big Sur, which had suffered financially since the dramatic slide in late January.
"Our crews have been able to take advantage of favorable weather and work seven days a week during all daylight hours," Caltrans Public Affairs’ Kevin Drabinski told KCBS Radio.
They'll be laying a base for the road, then paving and striping it between now and the end of April.
"This engineered fill that gets put into the canyon and rebuilds up to the level of the previously-existing road requires massive amounts of dirt," Drabinski said. "Any rain would have delayed our efforts there."
The repairs will improve water flow during storms, making the roadway more resistant to extreme weather activity. The department said that it will continue construction after the roadway reopens, which will require intermittent traffic control at Rat Creek.
"Our crews have worked to create a safe road in challenging conditions, and we are excited to reopen this lifeline earlier than expected," Caltrans District 5 Director Tim Gubbins added.
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