Motorists in California are being advised to avoid Highway 1 after a section of the route collapsed during a storm over the weekend.
The collapse occured Saturday afternoon as heavy rainfall poured down by Rocky Creek Bridge, about 17 miles south of Monterey. The highway was closed in both directions, stranding motorists near Big Sur, authorities said.
The San Francisco Chronicle said that some motorists had slept in their cars overnight while other took shelter at the nearby Big Sur Lodge.
Crews determined that travel in the northbound lane was safe, and authorities began escoprting motorists around the damaged section around noon on Sunday.
Convoys of vehicles resumed on Monday morning around 8 a.m. for one lane of the highway.
“During the time the convoys are passing, we physically have observers on sight to put eyes on the condition of the roadway to make sure it’s still safe to travel,” said Kevin Drabinski, a spokesperson for the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans).
Another convoy of vehicles was escorted through at 4 p.m. Monday, but motorists were urged to avoid the area. Another convoy was scheduled for 8 a.m. Tuesday.
Caltrans said crews will start installing concrete barriers to provide a safe lane for vehicles and to protect construction workers. Engineers will focus on stabilizing the edge of the roadway, but it’s not immediately clear when the road will be ready to reopen.
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Source: Associated Press, NBC News
