Highway 1 along Big Sur Coast is now open

Highway 1, battered by winter storms, opened Friday along the Big Sur coastline, eight days ahead of schedule.

BIG SUR, Calif. - Highway 1, battered by winter storms, opened Friday along the Big Sur coastline, eight days ahead of schedule.

The scenic route, no stranger to cracks and closures, had been closed for six weeks.

A rockslide, which Caltrans called a "slipout," occurred on on March 30.

The large gaping hole in the pavement was triggered by heavy rains and left the southbound lane of Highway 1, south of the Rocky Creek Bridge, partially impassable.

Despite Highway 1 re-opeining, the area that collapsed will be subject to alternating one-way traffic, controlled by temporary traffic signals, for the foreseeable future, officials said. Permanent repairs are expected to be completed by next spring.

Earlier this month, Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency to secure $100 million in federal funding for road repairs.

Big Sur is a 90-mile stretch of the state’s central coast where often misty, forested mountains descend to the ocean.

Much of Highway 1 is perched on the edge of cliffs, presenting dramatic views that draw tourists.