BIG SUR >> Caltrans will conduct another full overnight closure of Highway 1 during part of the weekend at its ongoing emergency repair site at the Rocky Creek slip out.

Starting on Sunday at 10 p.m., travelers will encounter the full closure of the roadway about 12 miles south of Carmel, which will last until 6 a.m. Monday.

The closure will allow Caltrans crews to pour concrete for the bridge deck that follows the successful installation of six concrete girders about two weeks ago as it continues to advance on the northbound viaduct structure.

Caltrans’ ongoing emergency repairs to Highway 1 near the Rocky Creek Bridge — post mile 60 — is where a slip out occurred on March 20, 2024, resulting in a loss of a section of the southbound lane. Traffic flow to Big Sur was disrupted for a time before measures where taken to restore vehicle passage using only the northbound lane. Caltrans established one-way, 24-7, signalized traffic control to allow for travelers to access activities and businesses in Big Sur.

Caltrans has repaired the southbound lane by constructing a viaduct to support that side of the roadway. The viaduct installation entailed crews drilling and casting reinforced concrete columns to support the weight of the viaduct structure in advance of the installation of girders. The design of the viaduct involved support from the two ends as well as two support columns in the middle, which made for a three-span design. The three girders for the southbound lane — which were installed in mid-December — were placed across three spans, totaling nine concrete girders, ranging from 45 to 65 feet in length. That was followed up by a full overnight closure to allow Caltrans crews to pour the concrete bridge deck for the southbound lane of the Rocky Creek viaduct structure.

The southbound lane of Highway 1 at Rocky Creek reopened to travel on March 8, after completion of the southbound viaduct structure.

Caltrans has been periodically conducting additional overnight closures of Highway 1 as it furthers its efforts to repair the seawall structure at the base of the cliff where the slip out occurred and which caused damage to the seawall. The seawall provides protection from wave action damage of the southern end of Rocky Creek Bridge and the slope below the recently constructed viaduct.

The estimate for completion of the Rocky Creek viaduct is this summer and is dependent on conditions encountered during construction.

The contractor for the emergency repairs near the Rocky Creek Bridge is Gordon N. Ball, Inc. of Walnut Creek. The estimated price tag for the repair work at the Rocky Creek slip out is $21 million.

Rocky Creek Bridge is located 12 miles south of Carmel and more than 100 miles of Highway 1 on the Big Sur Coast remain open and accessible.

Though Highway 1 to Big Sur is open, the coastal highway remains closed 40 miles south of Carmel due to the Regent’s Slide — post mile 27.8 — which occurred March 9, 2024, and where top-down removal of slide material by crews began on April 30, 2024.

Travelers to the Big Sur coast from southern California will also encounter the closure of the coast highway at Regent’s Slide. The vast majority of the Big Sur coast remains accessible and open with about 6 miles of closure between the north and south ends of Highway 1 to accommodate work on Regent’s Slide.

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.