BY MIRANDA NAZZARO - 04/01/24
Nic Coury, Associated Press
Cones mark a break in the southbound lane of Highway 1 at Rocky Creek Bridge in Big Sur, Calif., April 1, 2024, following an Easter weekend storm.
Hundreds of people were evacuated after a landslide caused portions of California’s Highway 1 to collapse, though parts of the road remained closed Monday.
Heavy rain Saturday near Rock Creek Bridge — about 17 miles south of , Calif. — caused chunks of the road’s asphalt to fall into the ocean beside the two-lane road, The Associated Press reported.
An estimated 1,600 people were initially stranded as a result of what officials called a slip-out, a spokesperson for California’s Transportation Department, known as Caltrans, confirmed to The Hill. Some motorists were forced to sleep in their vehicles overnight Saturday, or go to local hotels opened to visitors, The San Francisco Chronicle reported.
Engineers on Sunday determined travel would be possible on the northbound lane, and two convoys took place Sunday to safely evacuate motorists and their vehicles through the slip-out, Caltrans said in a press release. Starting Monday, there will be convoys at 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. local time, the agency said.
“Anyone who needed to get in or out was able to cross through the slip out,” a spokesperson for Caltrans said.
Parts of the highway remained closed Monday, according to Caltrans, and the spokesperson said it is too early to determine when repairs could be completed.
“We want to emphasize that this is a state disaster,” Nicholas Pasculli, Monterey County’s head of communications, told SFGate on Sunday.
Crews worked Sunday to stabilize the edge of roadway, and drivers were asked to “avoid all unnecessary travel” in the area, Caltrans said on X, formerly Twitter.
All Big Sur state parks were also impacted by the collapse, including Point Sur, Pfeiffer Big Sur, Julia Pfeiffer Burns, Andrew Molera, and Limekiln, Monterey County said Sunday night.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s (D) office said it is “coordinating closely” with state agencies to address the issue and thanked the crews working to repair the roadway.
Cones mark a break in the southbound lane of Highway 1 at Rocky Creek Bridge in Big Sur, Calif., April 1, 2024, following an Easter weekend storm.
Hundreds of people were evacuated after a landslide caused portions of California’s Highway 1 to collapse, though parts of the road remained closed Monday.
Heavy rain Saturday near Rock Creek Bridge — about 17 miles south of , Calif. — caused chunks of the road’s asphalt to fall into the ocean beside the two-lane road, The Associated Press reported.
An estimated 1,600 people were initially stranded as a result of what officials called a slip-out, a spokesperson for California’s Transportation Department, known as Caltrans, confirmed to The Hill. Some motorists were forced to sleep in their vehicles overnight Saturday, or go to local hotels opened to visitors, The San Francisco Chronicle reported.
Engineers on Sunday determined travel would be possible on the northbound lane, and two convoys took place Sunday to safely evacuate motorists and their vehicles through the slip-out, Caltrans said in a press release. Starting Monday, there will be convoys at 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. local time, the agency said.
“Anyone who needed to get in or out was able to cross through the slip out,” a spokesperson for Caltrans said.
Parts of the highway remained closed Monday, according to Caltrans, and the spokesperson said it is too early to determine when repairs could be completed.
“We want to emphasize that this is a state disaster,” Nicholas Pasculli, Monterey County’s head of communications, told SFGate on Sunday.
Crews worked Sunday to stabilize the edge of roadway, and drivers were asked to “avoid all unnecessary travel” in the area, Caltrans said on X, formerly Twitter.
All Big Sur state parks were also impacted by the collapse, including Point Sur, Pfeiffer Big Sur, Julia Pfeiffer Burns, Andrew Molera, and Limekiln, Monterey County said Sunday night.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s (D) office said it is “coordinating closely” with state agencies to address the issue and thanked the crews working to repair the roadway.
'Nightmare': SF woman recounts trying to leave Highway 1 after collapseBy Amanda BartlettUpdated April 1, 2024
California authorities are still dealing with the aftermath of a landslide that caused a section of Highway 1 to collapse and fall into the ocean on Saturday, stranding as many as 2,000 people overnight, including locals and visitors traveling along one of the most scenic stretches of the drive near Bixby Bridge.
Caltrans convoys began leading traffic through the highway at noon Sunday after the 40-mile closure in both northbound and southbound directions, which lasted for 16 hours. The agency plans to deploy more of them at 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. each day for the foreseeable future, though it may have to suspend the escorts later this week if inclement weather or changes in site conditions become an issue, Kevin Drabinski, a spokesperson for Caltrans District 5, told SFGATE.
“Yesterday, we likely did have the highest volume of people come through who needed to take advantage of convoys,” Drabinski said over the phone. “A lot of those people were on the other side of a closure in a way they had not planned for. I can imagine two scenarios; people who came down to Big Sur for the day and found themselves having to stay overnight, and people who may have been staying in Big Sur and took a day trip up to Monterey and were unable to return.”
#Hwy1 remains closed on the #BigSur Coast due to a slip out of the road just south of the Rocky Creek Bridge. Convoys will lead essential travelers through closure area daily at 8 am and 4 pm. Engineers on site to observe conditions. Crews working to stabilize edge of roadway. pic.twitter.com/0AfyOcSIkB— Caltrans District 5 (@CaltransD5) April 1, 2024
On Monday afternoon, longtime Mission District resident Carmen Cordovez was taking a break outside of a Panera Bread in Salinas after a whirlwind weekend that required her family to hunker down at Big Sur Lodge overnight and caused her daughter Isa to miss a ride back to college. She woke up at 6 a.m. to get in line early for the 8 a.m. convoy to drive her daughter to Cal Poly San Luis Obispo so she wouldn’t miss her classes. Cordovez told SFGATE she was one of the first to show up, and the wait was still at least half an hour long just to get out once the convoy started. Then, she had to drive back to Big Sur to pick up her husband and son, Sebastian, and immediately get back in the car to head home to San Francisco.
“I didn’t think we’d be driving this much,” Cordovez said with a chuckle.
The weekend was the only time when her children’s spring breaks overlapped, and they were hoping to spend some time together in Big Sur as a family, hiking and exploring the area. They already had plans to stay at Big Sur Lodge, but didn’t expect that the hotel would become an emergency shelter within hours of checking in.
“By Saturday, it was completely packed, and more people kept coming,” Cordovez said. Most of the newcomers she spoke with were visiting from Carmel and planned to spend the day in Big Sur, but got stuck and couldn’t return once the highway closed.
“There was an overflow of tourists who didn’t have a place to stay,” she said. “They had to make a wait list for people just trying to get in. Some managed to get a room, but some had to sleep in their cars... We offered one couple a place to stay in our room, worst case scenario.”
A line of cars creeps along Highway 1 near Big Sur on Monday, April 1, 2024 after impacts from Saturday's landslide.Carmen Cordovez
The line for Sunday afternoon’s convoy, the first available, “must have been a nightmare,” Cordovez said, noting that’s when most people tried to leave.
She said she met one man at the lodge who was in town to visit family that lives in Big Sur. But he ultimately gave up on trying to drive the rest of the way out, hiking three hours just to be able to get home and spend Easter with them.
“The saving grace here is that more than half the road is still there,” Cordovez said. “If the whole thing went down, we all would have been totally stranded … It’s just a very unstable situation.”
The full extent of damage to the Pacific Coast Highway remains unknown, but Caltrans engineers are determining whether they can rely on previous repairs to shore up and stabilize the edge of the roadway. By this weekend, they hope to install 500 feet of K-rails — concrete, steel-enforced barriers — along the centerline of the repair site to help channel convoy travel and protect workers in the area, Drabinski said. This will lead to lane closures in the southbound direction of Highway 1 at Sand Dune Drive near Seaside from approximately 9 a.m. to noon Tuesday, and again at Soledad Drive near Monterey on Wednesday, also from 9 a.m. to noon. Directional signs will be in place to alert drivers in advance, and delays of up to five minutes are expected, per a news release from Caltrans.
“We have observers on site at all times and especially when convoys are passing through,” he continued. “If erosion were advancing on the roadway, or we experienced wet weather, we’d have to suspend them and wait until a clear day in the forecast.
At the time the landslide hit, the National Weather Service recorded 48-hour rainfall totals of 3.9 inches at its Coast Road station near Big Sur, with about half an inch of rain falling per hour, Dalton Behringer, a meteorologist for the Bay Area office, told SFGATE on Monday. When a thunderstorm rolled through the area, those totals “spiked,” he said, soaring to nearly 2 inches of rain per hour. Maximum wind gusts reached 47 mph on Friday and 33 mph on Saturday.
“Especially in that area, clearly the soils were saturated, causing whatever conditions that led to the slide. They could be exacerbated again,” Behringer said. “But we’re looking at lower rainfall rates associated with this system in comparison to last weekend.”
By mid-week, a low-pressure system coming out of the Gulf of Alaska is expected to slide along the West Coast, bringing with it cooler temperatures but significantly less rain. The system is forecast to approach late Wednesday, and winds could reach 35 to 45 mph on the Big Sur coast; rain isn’t expected to arrive until midday Thursday, with showers producing up to an inch of rain in the area and lingering through Friday afternoon.
In the event of poor weather conditions, officials have secured two mobile cell towers that they plan to station near Palo Colorado (Post Mile 61.5) to provide coverage for people who might not otherwise have cell service, Nicholas Pasculli, the director of communications for Monterey County, told SFGATE on Monday.
Cell service is “minimal and sometimes nonexistent along the Pacific Coast Highway,” he said. “This will help people get online to get updates on road conditions, especially as we’re expecting more inclement weather. Additional communication is important to keep people safe and relay emergency alerts if they become necessary.”
Drabinski said the recent slip-out will not impact Caltrans’ plans to fully reopen Highway 1 by late spring in the wake of a massive landslide in January 2023. Crews are still able to get across the southern hillside to make repairs at Dolan Point, where a permanent cable net system is slated to be installed on the face of the slope by May 1, and Regent’s Slide, where crews estimate it will take approximately 100 working days to remove 300,000 cubic yards of material remaining on the slope above the road.
People traveling through the area are encouraged to check with Caltrans District 5 on social media for updates. All state parks in the Big Sur area are closed indefinitely, including Andrew Molera, Julia Pfeiffer Burns, Limekiln and Pfeiffer Big Sur state parks, as well as Point Sur State Historic Park. The Big Sur branch library is also closed until further notice, though wireless internet is still accessible from the parking lot.
“Everyone is working hard to get past this,” Pasculli said.
EASTER TRAVEL CHAOS
Shocking pics of Highway 1 after flooding tore it apart leaving 1000s of tourists stranded & some forced to sleep in car
Drivers revealed how long it took them to get home following the road closure
Callie Patteson, Freelance News Reporter
Published: Apr 1 2024
THOUSANDS of people were left stranded after a section of California's Highway 1 collapsed into the ocean.
Shocking photos show chunks of asphalt missing from the highway near Big Sur along the California coast after heavy rain caused the ground to give way beneath the two-lane road.
7A portion of Highway 1 near Big Sur, California remains closed on MondayCredit: AP
7A large section of the two-landed road broke off due to heavy rainCredit: AP
7The road closure left thousands of motorists stranded overnightCredit: AP
The collapse occurred near Rocky Creek Bridge, approximately 17 miles south of Monterey, on Saturday, leaving upwards of 2,000 drivers stranded over the holiday weekend, according to The New York Times.
Photos of the scene show a large chunk of one of the lanes broken off from the rest of the road.
Orange cones can be seen lined next to the area of the slip-off, blocking off cars from driving in the damaged lane.
A witness claimed that many motorists resorted to sleeping in their vehicles overnight because of the road closure, according to The San Francisco Chronicle.
Others turned to temporary lodging at nearby inns or an emergency shelter opened at the Big Sur Lodge.
The road closure interrupted holiday travel and daily traffic along the coastline.
Linda Molinari, from Hollister, California, told The New York Times that she and her boyfriend were stranded after driving to Big Sur for lunch.
“We came here just to have lunch and go home, and now it’s like everyone is trapped here,” she told the outlet.
“All the little hotels and stuff, you could tell everybody was swarming.”
It was not immediately clear when the highway would be fully reopened.
Play VideoTerrifying vid shows $16m mansions teetering on CLIFF-EDGE 140ft high after landslide sends yards plunging into ocean
At around 12 pm on Sunday, officials began to lead vehicles in the north and southern directions of the highway.
Approximately 300 vehicles were waiting to travel northbound alone in the convoy, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.
It ultimately took around 50 minutes to get all vehicles waiting to travel across the highway.
Molinari told The New York Times she and her boyfriend were a part of the first convoy and arrived home just hours later.
“Everything went fine,” she said, calling the weekend a “crazy, weird Easter.”
Convoys leading vehicles were also scheduled for 8 am and 4 pm on Monday.
Officials with the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) are urging drivers to “avoid all unnecessary travel in the area” for the time being.
We came here just to have lunch and go home, and now it’s like everyone is trapped here.Linda MolinariResident Of Hollister, California
Additionally, other areas of Highway 1 have been closed due to landslides, including the Regent’s Slide and one at Dolan Point, Monterey County officials wrote on Facebook.
As a result, all state parks in the region, including Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park, Andrew Molera State Park, Limekiln State Park, Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park, and Point Sur State Historic Park, have been closed for day visits and camping.
California State Parks has said all camping reservations will be canceled and refunded.
Caltrans is expected to be working on ways to temporarily stabilize the edge of the road, a spokesperson told the San Francisco Chronicle.
The agency also plans to develop a future structural solution for the roadway.
Convoys transporting vehicles north and southbound along the highway are expected to continue lest there is any additional stormy weather.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom revealed on social media that his office would be closely coordinating with Caltrans, California Highway Patrol, and the state’s Office of Emergency Services to address the slip out.
“Thank you to the crews working around the clock to repair the roadway and keep Californians safe,” the governor said.
THOUSANDS of people were left stranded after a section of California's Highway 1 collapsed into the ocean.
Shocking photos show chunks of asphalt missing from the highway near Big Sur along the California coast after heavy rain caused the ground to give way beneath the two-lane road.
7A portion of Highway 1 near Big Sur, California remains closed on MondayCredit: AP
7A large section of the two-landed road broke off due to heavy rainCredit: AP
7The road closure left thousands of motorists stranded overnightCredit: AP
The collapse occurred near Rocky Creek Bridge, approximately 17 miles south of Monterey, on Saturday, leaving upwards of 2,000 drivers stranded over the holiday weekend, according to The New York Times.
Photos of the scene show a large chunk of one of the lanes broken off from the rest of the road.
Orange cones can be seen lined next to the area of the slip-off, blocking off cars from driving in the damaged lane.
A witness claimed that many motorists resorted to sleeping in their vehicles overnight because of the road closure, according to The San Francisco Chronicle.
Others turned to temporary lodging at nearby inns or an emergency shelter opened at the Big Sur Lodge.
The road closure interrupted holiday travel and daily traffic along the coastline.
Linda Molinari, from Hollister, California, told The New York Times that she and her boyfriend were stranded after driving to Big Sur for lunch.
“We came here just to have lunch and go home, and now it’s like everyone is trapped here,” she told the outlet.
“All the little hotels and stuff, you could tell everybody was swarming.”
It was not immediately clear when the highway would be fully reopened.
Play VideoTerrifying vid shows $16m mansions teetering on CLIFF-EDGE 140ft high after landslide sends yards plunging into ocean
At around 12 pm on Sunday, officials began to lead vehicles in the north and southern directions of the highway.
Approximately 300 vehicles were waiting to travel northbound alone in the convoy, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.
It ultimately took around 50 minutes to get all vehicles waiting to travel across the highway.
Molinari told The New York Times she and her boyfriend were a part of the first convoy and arrived home just hours later.
“Everything went fine,” she said, calling the weekend a “crazy, weird Easter.”
Convoys leading vehicles were also scheduled for 8 am and 4 pm on Monday.
Officials with the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) are urging drivers to “avoid all unnecessary travel in the area” for the time being.
We came here just to have lunch and go home, and now it’s like everyone is trapped here.Linda MolinariResident Of Hollister, California
Additionally, other areas of Highway 1 have been closed due to landslides, including the Regent’s Slide and one at Dolan Point, Monterey County officials wrote on Facebook.
As a result, all state parks in the region, including Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park, Andrew Molera State Park, Limekiln State Park, Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park, and Point Sur State Historic Park, have been closed for day visits and camping.
California State Parks has said all camping reservations will be canceled and refunded.
Caltrans is expected to be working on ways to temporarily stabilize the edge of the road, a spokesperson told the San Francisco Chronicle.
The agency also plans to develop a future structural solution for the roadway.
Convoys transporting vehicles north and southbound along the highway are expected to continue lest there is any additional stormy weather.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom revealed on social media that his office would be closely coordinating with Caltrans, California Highway Patrol, and the state’s Office of Emergency Services to address the slip out.
“Thank you to the crews working around the clock to repair the roadway and keep Californians safe,” the governor said.
A large chunk of one of the lanes was broken off from the rest of the road and fell down the cliff side into the ocean
Upwards of 2,000 drivers were stranded over the weekend
The road closure interrupted holiday travel and daily traffic along the coastline
California State Parks has said all camping reservations will be canceled and refunded
Credit: AP
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