Caltrans is getting ready to start a new major project on Hwy 1 in Northern SLO County and there will be full, overnight closures of the highway from Gorda to Ragged Point from Sunday night through Friday mornings from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. from mid-May through mid-September, the State announced May 4.
The $9.5 million “Elephant Trunk Retaining Wall” project will rebuild a retaining wall along a section of highway subject to landslides, and Madonna Const., of SLO is the contractor.
Motorists traveling north or south of these closures are advised by Caltrans to reach their destinations or at least get through the construction zone before 9 p.m.
Access will be open for local residents and all businesses along the roadway will remain open during the roadwork.
Motorists can expect one-way reversing traffic control via a temporary traffic signal Mondays-Fridays from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. with delays not expected to exceed 10 minutes, according to Caltrans.
Electronic Message Boards will be placed on Hwy 101 in Paso Robles and Hwy 1 in both Carmel and Cambria to inform motorists of these highway closures.
The project is expected to be completed sometime in 2017. This would be the third or fourth year in a row that Caltrans has done a major project on Hwy 1 in SLO and Monterey counties in an effort to keep one of the nations most beautiful roadways open for motorists, bicyclists and to support the businesses along the highway.
Another project to move Hwy 1 inland from the coast near the old Piedras Blancas Motel is expected to get underway after Memorial Day.