Paul's Slide in Big Sur to finally reopen Sunday, June 23.

Caltrans announced today that due to favorable conditions, Highway 1 at Paul's Slide in Big Sur will reopen Sunday, June 23, freeing up a 4.3-mile section of the highway. 

That stretch has been closed since January 2023 after the coast was battered by a series of atmospheric rivers. 

The reopening will restore access to Lucia, the Camaldoli Hermitage, and for all the residents living in the 4.3-mile stretch. A 6.8-mile section of the road will still remain closed, however, due to the Regent's Slide at Post Mile 27.8, which Caltrans expects to be cleared by late fall. 

Crews will remain onsite for several more weeks to remove further slide material, complete drainage installation and erosion control measures, but officials say its effect on traffic will be minimal. 

The project was completed at a cost of roughly $60 million. 

Caltrans Director Tony Tavares said in a statement, “The completion of repairs and the reopening of a 4.3-mile section of this scenic byway will begin to restore some normalcy for business owners and residents in the area. We thank the local community for their patience and support. We also want to express appreciation for the persistence, ingenuity and resolve demonstrated by Caltrans personnel and contracted crews throughout this process.”