State Highway 1 Closure Advisory: Caltrans

MONTEREY COUNTY, CA — With a "significant" storm expected along the Pacific coast in the Big Sur area sometime Tuesday, Caltrans has issued an advisory for drivers who use State Highway 1 in the Mud Creek and Paul's Slide areas in Monterey County to prepare for possible weather-related closures of the highway in those areas, Caltrans said Sunday.

The possible Highway 1 closures would be at Mud Creek, 8.9 miles north of the San Luis Obispo County line, and at Paul's Slide, 21.6 miles north of the county line. Caltrans spokeswoman Susana Cruz noted that both areas suffered major mud and rock slides in the past few years, and are still "settling" following those episodes.

"These slides need time to stabilize and get used to themselves, to settle," Cruz said. "This is the first winter after the big slides, and they are still settling."

This 48-hour warning is primarily for residents of these areas to stock up on provisions and make alternative travel arrangements, and for travelers to find other routes around the Big Sur area.
Cruz said the advisory will be reevaluated Monday, and more information about the pending Tuesday storm is available.

By Bay City News

Photo courtesy Renee Schiavone/ Patch