BIG SUR >> Caltrans says full overnight closures of Highway 1 can be expected in the coming days due to work near Rocky Creek Bridge having to do with the slip-out there that happened earlier this year.

Complete overnight closures of the highway are scheduled for Oct. 29 — 30, from 10 p.m. — 6 a.m. Highway 1 at Rocky Creek is scheduled to remain fully open during all overnight hours Oct. 31 — Nov. 4.

For the next two weeks daytime travelers can expect intermittent delays of up to 20 minutes as crews bring equipment on site for continued excavation work.

A slip-out occurred just south of Rocky Creek Bridge on Highway 1 — post mile 60 — on March 30 resulting in the undermining of the southbound lane. Emergency stabilization measures have been achieved and one-way, 24-7, signalized traffic control established to allow traffic to flow freely south to businesses in Big Sur. The emergency project continues with the construction of a viaduct to support the roadway, and repairs to a concrete seawall at the base of the cliff.

Caltrans has stabilized and reinforced Highway 1 at the slip-out location 12 miles south of Carmel where crews have made substantial progress on a construction phase involving the drilling and casting of reinforced concrete columns to support the weight of the viaduct structure, according to Caltrans.

Once construction of the southbound section of the Rocky Creek viaduct is complete, travel will be directed onto this southbound section and work will begin on construction of the northbound portion of the viaduct.The estimate for completion of the Rocky Creek viaduct is summer 2025 and is dependent on conditions encountered during construction. The contractor for this project is Gordon N. Ball, Inc. of Alamo, CA.

The estimated price tag for the repair work at the Rocky Creek slip-out is $21 million.

Highway 1 remains closed 40 miles south of Carmel due to the Regent’s Slide — post mile 27.8 — which occurred March 9 and where top-down removal of slide material by crews began on April 30. Challenging conditions associated with the extreme slope at the site and continued slide activity has extended its reopen date.

Due to continued cracking occurring at the repair site, a portion of previously damaged roadway located on Highway 1 at Regent’s Slide will not reopen in late fall 2024 as previously estimated. Updates on a possible reopening date and the progress of repairs will be provided on a regular basis.

Caltrans District 5 spokesperson Kevin Drabinski said that repairs at Regent’s Slide will not be completed this calendar year, and that Caltrans continues to install monitoring at the site both within the new slide to establish its characteristics, and outside the area of the new slide.

“We want as much information as possible about movement on adjacent slopes in advance of a return to excavation work,” said Drabinski.

Once work at Regent’s Slide is complete it would open up Highway 1 to direct travel between Carmel and Cambria.

Caltrans emphasizes that more than 100 miles of Highway 1 between Cambria and Carmel remain open with the exception of a 6.8-mile segment from one mile south of the Esalen Institute to two miles north of the community of Lucia.

Road information and updates can also be found on Caltrans District 5 Social Media platforms: X/Twitter at: @CaltransD5, Facebook at: Caltrans Central Coast (District 5) and Instagram at: Caltrans_D5.