Highway 1 at Rocky Creek reopens after more than a year

June 30, 2025

By KAREN VELIE

Highway 1 at Rocky Creek fully reopened on Monday. Following a landslide in March 2024, the highway was reduced to one lane 12 miles south of Carmel.

“The challenges posed by the slide on Highway 1 at Rocky Creek 15 months ago were met with an immediate commitment to restore access to this iconic roadway and symbol of north coast vitality,” said Caltrans District 5 Director Scott Eades. “Today’s reopening represents an engineering marvel and triumph in resilience for Big Sur residents, business owners and their elected officials.”

For six weeks following the slide, travelers were able to drive through Highway 1 at Rocky Creek in twice-daily convoys using the viable northbound lane, allowing for critical access to the communities of Big Sur.

Crews worked daytime and overnight shifts to stabilize the remaining roadway and prevent additional slide activity. To execute a key step in restoring stability to the damaged area, crews lowered rock dowels into vertical shafts drilled deep into the slope.

The total cost for the project is estimated at $15.4 million.

Caltrans continues to repair the damaged seawall at Rocky Creek. Travelers can anticipate intermittent traffic control at Rocky Creek through the summer.