California’s classic coastal highway with its magnificent views over the Pacific, has reopened ahead of schedule, much to the relief of locals, especially those who rely on tourism.

The scenic highway, which hugs the cliffs and is prone to the occasional landslide, is one of California’s most significant tourism drivers. This has been the longest closure to date along the Big Sur coast. The highway 1 closure was triggered by “Paul’s Slide” on January 15, 2023, followed by “Regent’s Slide” on February 9, 2024, and it has had a significant economic impact on San Luis Obispo County (SLO CAL) and Monterey. The prolonged closure resulted in an estimated $438 million in lost visitor spending across SLO CAL and Monterey Counties and the State of California.

There’s much relief that Caltrans (California Department of Transportation) has been able to complete the repairs two months ahead of schedule.