California Highway 1 Collapses Leaving 2,000 Tourists Stranded
Nearly 2,000 motorists, who are mostly tourists, are stranded after a portion of scenic Highway 1 collapsed in the Big Sur region of California over the weekend.
California Department of Transporation officials reported on Saturday afternoon that chunks of asphalt from the southbound lane of Highway 1, located near the Rocky Creek Bridge, fell into the ocean after heavy rain hit the area.
The bridge’s collapse caused the California Highway Patrol to immediately close the highway, resulting in nearly 2,000 tourists being stranded in the area.
The California Highway Patrol stated, “This will likely be an extended road closure. We are working on a plan to get motorists evacuated from the area.”
LOOK:
A section of California’s scenic Highway 1 collapsed during a weekend storm, forcing closures and stranding motorists near Big Sur, authorities say. https://t.co/MDlAmeFF8W
— NBC News (@NBCNews) April 1, 2024
Per The New York Times:
A portion of scenic Highway 1 in the Big Sur area of California collapsed Saturday stranding about 2,000 motorists, mostly tourists, overnight.
Officials with the California Department of Transportation said on Sunday that a section of the southbound highway located in the Central Coast, would remain closed to the public while crews worked on the affected areas. Large chunks of the road fell into the ocean. The highway, also known as the Pacific Coast Highway, features stretches of rocky cliffs, lush mountains, panoramic beaches and coastal redwood forests.
There were no reported injuries. Caltrans, the agency, did not give an estimate of when it expected to fully reopen the highway.
Officials did not say what led to the collapse, but torrential rain battered the area near Rocky Creek Bridge, which is about 17 miles south of Monterey.
Several convoys have already been deployed to start moving some of the stranded tourists and essential workers, but many remain stranded until further notice.
Convoys to start through the Rocky Creek closure on #Hwy1 at 12 pm today. Convoy to lead vehicles first in the north and then in south direction and will repeat at 4 pm today. Starting tomorrow convoys will happen at 8 am and 4 pm. Please avoid all unnecessary travel in area. pic.twitter.com/qh5VLcnGY1
— Caltrans District 5 (@CaltransD5) March 31, 2024
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