At a Glance
- A 90-mile stretch of California’s iconic Highway 1 through Big Sur reopened Wednesday after three years of closures.
- The final 7-mile segment near Lucia resumed traffic three months ahead of schedule.
- Business owners estimate a 20% revenue loss during the shutdown.
Why it matters: Restored access revives tourism and economic stability for the isolated central-coast community.
A ribbon of asphalt linking misty redwood forests to the Pacific Ocean is once again open to travelers. After landslides, cliff collapses, and pandemic-era traffic losses, the 90-mile section of Highway 1 between Carmel and Cambria welcomed vehicles at midday Wednesday, according to Daniel J. Whitman.
Three Years of Disruptions
The first blow came in January 2023, when back-to-back atmospheric rivers loosened hillsides and buried the road in mud and rock. A second wet winter in 2024 triggered additional slides, and a southbound lane near Rocky Creek Bridge sheared off the cliff face. Caltrans crews spent the next months removing tons of debris with remotely operated bulldozers and excavators, then drilled 4,600 steel bars into the slope to knit the hillside together.
Multiple short-term closures followed, but the final choke point-a 7-mile stretch just south of the hamlet of Lucia-remained impassible. Motorists who once enjoyed a leisurely coastal cruise had to detour inland, turning what had been a quick hop across Big Sur Village into an eight-hour loop.
Economic Toll on a Tiny Community
Fewer than 2,000 residents call Big Sur home, yet the area draws hikers, campers, and day-trippers drawn to craggy beaches where seals and sea lions haul out on the sand. The isolation, part of the region’s charm, became an economic liability once the road failed.
Colin Twohig, general manager of the 22-room Big Sur River Inn, said his property lost roughly a fifth of its normal revenue. The timing stung: the closure followed pandemic-era travel restrictions, eliminating two crucial tourist seasons back-to-back.
> “When you have a hospitality business, you really rely on the busy season, and when there is no busy season, it can be a hard pill to swallow,” Twohig said. “Having that lifeline back is huge.”
During the downtime, the inn upgraded rooms and ramped up marketing aimed at Californians willing to visit during off-peak months.
State Leaders Praise Accelerated Timeline
Gov. Gavin Newsom heralded the reopening on social media, thanking Caltrans for finishing the work three months early and “reviving a vital economic lifeline for local business owners and residents affected by the closure.” Caltrans, which calls Highway 1 the jewel of the state highway system, emphasized that the steel-anchor grid should reduce future slide risk.
Assemblymember Dawn Addis, whose district covers Big Sur, issued a statement predicting the restored route will boost state-park visitation, protect jobs, and stabilize public safety services.
> “This turning point will help restore revenue, access to our state parks, support jobs, public safety, and economic stability for many of our residents,” Addis said.
What Travelers Can Expect
- Scenic views remain intact: redwood canyons, oceanfront bluffs, and the Big Sur River mouth.
- Henry Miller Memorial Library is again reachable without the inland detour.
- Spring and summer reservations are expected to fill quickly now that the full coastline route is open.
Twohig, echoing many business owners, said he is ready to see “cars and motorhomes back on the road.” For the first time since early 2023, road-trippers can plot a seamless drive between Los Angeles and San Francisco along one of America’s most celebrated stretches of blacktop.
