Highway 1 update 12/24/12

CALTRANS PRESS RELEASE
Today’s Date: Monday, December 24, 2012 at 8:45 am
District: 05 – Santa Barbara, San Luis Obispo, Monterey, San Benito and Santa Cruz Counties
Contact: Susana Z Cruz (bilingual) or Colin Jones
Phone: (805) 549-3138 or 549-3189
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

HIGHWAY 1 SOUTH OF BIG SUR IS CLOSED DUE TO ROCK SLIDES IN TWO LOCATIONS

MONTEREY COUNTY –Highway 1 is CLOSED at two locations south of Big Sur due to rock slides that occurred on Sunday, Dec. 23 at about 5 pm.

The highway is shut down at Mile Marker 38.70 (Partington Ridge Road) and at Ragged Point in SLO County. There is no estimated time of opening. Crews are working to assess damage and begin cleanup.

Businesses in the Big Sur community south Cambria remain open and alternate routes for motorists are Highways 68, 101, 46 and Nacimiento-Fergusson Road.

Message signs have been activated to advise motorists. Updates will be issued as conditions develop.

Caltrans reminds motorists to move over and slow down when driving through highway work zones.

For more information, please visit: http://www.dot.ca.gov/dist05/paffairs/ orcontact Caltrans Public Affairs at 805-549-3318.

ADDENDUM from the Big Sur Chamber of Commerce: ALL BUSINESSES IN BIG SUR ARE ACCESSIBLE FROM THE NORTH ON HIGHWAY 1. Highway 1 is open all the way to the slide at Partington Ridge Road.

Please be safe! We’ll have updates about the slide as soon as possible.

UPDATES
9:35 AM
James Barrow from the Big Sur Volunteer Fire Brigade is reporting that the private road to Partington Ridge collapsed last night, falling onto Highway 1, which is the rock slide Caltrans is reporting.

10:05 AM
Spoke with Colin Jones at Caltrans. People are driving through the Willow Creek slide area. Caltrans Geotech engineers are still assessing the stability of the slide. Remember, this is where we had a big slide last year… official opening report coming soon.

Regarding Partington Ridge slide. This is the last remaining closure and this will take a little more time. Expected to clear it later today but no specific time just yet.

Regards,
Stan Russell