UPDATE: Highway 1 at Regent’s Slide opened Friday once again restoring through travel between Carmel and Cambria. Crews cleared mud and debris from the roadway and made progress on clearing the catchment area behind the concrete barriers on the shoulder of the northbound lane. Travelers will encounter daytime one-way traffic control starting Saturday as crews continue to work from the northbound lane to clear the catchment area. Traffic control is expected to be in place through the weekend and travelers can expect delays of up to 20 minutes.
Clearing of the catchment area will permit debris to accumulate during future weather events allowing the roadway to remain open.
Electronic message signs on the approach to Regent’s will caution travelers to reduce their speeds in the event that any silt on the road combines with overnight moisture.
BIG SUR – With a series of storms continuing to slam the Central Coast the last few days, Caltrans reports that a 6.8-mile segment of Highway 1 along the Big Sur coast that was closed earlier this week near Regent’s Slide, has reopened.
The closure of the highway, from two miles north of Lucia, to one mile south of the Esalen Institute, was due to ongoing debris cleanup as a result of winter storms.
The slope above the roadway at Regent’s Slide remains stable, according to Caltrans, however, the catchment area at the base of the slope was filled with debris that eroded during recent rains. This erosion activity is an expected outcome following recent slide repairs and will continue as the slope seasons over time.
Debris in the catchment area had spilled over the concrete barriers on the northbound shoulder, allowing debris and rocks to travel directly on to the highway.
Crews began to clear debris from the catchment area during breaks in the rain. This cleanup effort is dependent on weather and site conditions. Updates will be provided as work progresses.
On Feb. 9, 2024, Regent’s Slide, originating about 450 feet above the roadway, closed Highway 1 in Monterey County. For nearly two years, Caltrans slowly and methodically repaired the site with the goal of safely reopening the roadway.
In early January, storms brought the first rainfall to the lower slope at Regent’s Slide – about 40 miles south of Carmel. Recently-installed and secured mesh drapery on the slope above the roadway, designed to protect the traveling public from rockfall once the road reopened, performed its intended function by effectively slowing the movement of rock and debris down the slope.
In the months leading up to the reopening of Highway 1, crews at Regent’s Slide made cuts in the slope and removed debris material. That made it possible for climbing crews on the slope above the roadway to secure the mesh netting. Data from measuring instruments indicated that since the installation of more than 4,500 shear dowels was completed in the fall, no significant slide movement had been detected.
The primary function of shear dowels is to reinforce the slope by increasing its internal shear strength. By anchoring the unstable soil layers to more stable underlying materials, they help resist the forces that can cause landslides. This method is particularly effective in areas where traditional excavation or grading is not feasible due to environmental concerns or terrain challenges.
On Jan. 14, 2026, the stretch of Highway 1 closed by Regent’s Slide reopened, restoring full travel access along the Big Sur coast, from Carmel to Cambria, and reviving a vital economic lifeline for local business owners and residents affected by the closure.
Going forward, travelers on Highway 1 at Regent’s Slide and other locations may encounter occasional full closures while crews remove debris following seasonal weather events and intermittent delays due to ongoing construction.
Road information and updates can also be found on Caltrans District 5 Social Media platforms: Twitter at: CaltransD5, Facebook at: Caltrans Central Coast (District 5) and Instagram at: Caltrans_D5.
