Highway 1 along Big Sur coast could take months to clear

BIG SUR, Calif. - Caltrans crews said they are working around the clock to clear the Cabrillo Highway along the Big Sur coast but that a full reopening along Highway 1 may take several months. 

The Cabrillo Highway has been closed at the area known as "Paul's Slide" since March, following the devastating winter storms that caused a collapse of approximately two million cubic yards of rocks, mud, and other debris onto the road.

About three-quarters of the debris has been successfully removed by the dedicated crews, Caltrans said. 

The agency had hoped to reopen the entire stretch of the highway by the end of this month. However, due to the complexity of the cleanup process, Caltrans said they now anticipate that it may take several more months to fully restore access to the highway.