Part Of Highway 1 Reopens As Repairs Begin On Collapsed Portion

SANTA CRUZ, CA — A portion of Highway 1 on Sunday reopened ahead of schedule as work is set to begin further south on a collapsed portion of the coastal route, according to officials.

The stretch of Highway 1 between Bay Venue/Porter Street and State Park Drive reopened ahead of schedule, the California Highway Patrol said Sunday. The area was closed in March for the demolition of the Capitola Avenue overdressing as part of a larger project to construct auxiliary lanes and other improvements, Santa Cruz 511 said.

Meantime, contractors on Monday are set to begin repairing the storm damage to Highway 1. Daily convoys are expected to continue the site of the Rocky Creek slip out between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m., which will allow area residents and essential employees to access the area closed to other traffic.

Caltrans engineers over the weekend examined the site for further road degradation. Good weather forecast this week is expected to allow the convoys to continue, officials said.

A chunk of Highway 1 late last month collapsed near Rocky Creek Bridge, about 17 miles south of Monterey.

Caltrans said crews finished installing K-rail barricades, crash cushions and temporary striping at the site on Saturday. A contractor on Monday and Tuesday is set to begin drilling vertical anchors in the southbound lane.

Caltrans hasn't announced when it estimates work on temporary roadway stabilization will be finished.

Bay City News service contributed to this report.