Motorists crept along one lane of a scenic stretch of California’s iconic Highway 1 on Monday after a giant chunk of it collapsed into the ocean following heavy weekend rains, stranding as many as 1,600 people in the coastal community of Big Sur.
Quick Read
- A significant portion of California’s Highway 1 collapsed into the ocean after heavy weekend rains, affecting the Big Sur area and isolating up to 1,600 people.
- Vehicle convoys along a single reopened lane commenced at 8 a.m. Monday, following a temporary opening on Sunday to alleviate the situation.
- Observers are stationed to monitor the safety of the remaining roadway during convoy operations, according to CalTrans spokesperson Kevin Drabinski.
- The roadway failure happened near the Rocky Creek Bridge, south of Monterey, causing extensive traffic delays.
- Local businesses, including the Nepenthe restaurant, were impacted, with employees and patrons forced to find alternative overnight accommodations.
- The Big Sur Lodge offered its conference room for stranded travelers, while some chose to spend the night in their vehicles.
- One affected visitor recounted the unexpected overnight stay in Big Sur, highlighting the disruption of plans, including missed holiday celebrations.
- Another convoy was planned for 4 p.m. Monday, with advice for motorists to avoid the area if possible.
- The focus for repairs is on stabilizing the roadway’s edge, though the timeline for full reopening remains uncertain.
- Highway 1 is prone to closures due to natural events like collapses, mudslides, and rockfalls, especially during adverse weather conditions.
- A brief respite from heavy rain is expected, with dry conditions forecasted for the coming days, offering some relief for road repair efforts.
The Associated Press has the story:
Motorists creep along 1 lane after part of California’s iconic Highway 1 collapses
Newslooks- BIG SUR, Calif. (AP) —
Motorists crept along one lane of a scenic stretch of California’s iconic Highway 1 on Monday after a giant chunk of it collapsed into the ocean following heavy weekend rains, stranding as many as 1,600 people in the coastal community of Big Sur.
Convoys of vehicles resumed at 8 a.m. Monday for one lane of the highway, although most of the people trapped in Big Sur were allowed to leave when a single lane was reopened Sunday after being closed overnight, said Kevin Drabinski, a spokesperson for the California Department of Transportation, or CalTrans.
“During the time the convoys are passing, we physically have observers on sight to put eyes on the condition of the roadway to make sure it’s still safe to travel,” Drabinski said.
The collapse occurred Saturday near Rocky Creek Bridge about 17 miles (27 kilometers) south of Monterey, and traffic backed up for miles in both directions.
Kirk Gafill, the manager of Nepenthe restaurant in Big Sur, said about a dozen of his employees who were working that day were trapped in town and had to find friends or family members to spend the night with.
“That’s probably true for every business in Big Sur,” he said.
The Big Sur Lodge opened its conference room to offer some trapped motorists a place to stay, while others spent the night in their vehicles.
Linda Molinari of Hollister, California, told Fresno’s KFSN-TV that she and her boyfriend ended up sleeping in his van after they went to lunch in Big Sur on Saturday.
“It was really hard when the firefighters said, ‘Oh, you get to sleep here tonight,’” Molinari told the station on Easter Sunday after they returned home. “It’s amazing to get home, but still bittersweet. You missed a holiday from just trying to go to lunch on a random day.”
Another convoy of vehicles was scheduled for 4 p.m. Monday, but motorists were urged to avoid the area. Drabinski said engineers will focus on stabilizing the edge of the roadway, but it’s not immediately clear when the road will be ready to reopen.
The famous route has seen frequent closures because of collapses, mudflows and rockslides during severe weather.
Road workers are expected to get a break from the heavy rains that fell over the weekend, with dry conditions expected for the next several days and just a chance for light rain on Thursday, said Dalton Behringer, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in the Bay Area.
