Highway 1 in California
A year and a half has passed since it was closed, but finally, the section of Highway 1 known as Mud Creek, connecting Cambria and Carmel in California (USA), has reopened, meaning that some of the state's most famous points are also accessible again.
This section of Highway 1, which runs along the Pacific Coast from San Francisco to San Diego, had to be closed in March 2017 due to several landslides. Heavy spring rains following a cold winter triggered avalanches and landslides that buried sections of this road under six tons of earth and rocks. The work to restore this cliffside road has taken 18 months, two months less than initially projected.
The reopening of this section in the Big Sur region means that traffic on the entirety of Highway 1 resumes, as the California Department of Transportation had previously completed repairs on other segments and iconic locations of the road, such as the bridge over Pfeiffer Canyon, which also collapsed in March 2017.
This iconic and scenic road expects to welcome a large number of visitors during the summer months, as it allows access to famous sites in a short span of time, including the Bixby Creek Bridge, the Henry Miller Memorial Library, the Getty Center for Art and Architecture in Malibu, or San Simeon, home to elephant seals. Furthermore, this is the road used to reach some of the best beaches along the California coast.
Events Celebrating the Reopening
To celebrate the reopening of this stretch of Highway 1, officials have announced several events. One of them, called Dream Drive, will take place on August 9 and will feature cars and motorcycles manufactured in each year since the road was established, from 1934 to 2018. Additionally, Morro Bay, near San Luis Obispo, will host a car meet on that day.