BIG SUR – Caltrans reports crews are working two 12-hour shifts to finish the primary phase of stabilizing Highway 1 on the Rocky Creek exit, with the goal of providing one-way traffic access to Big Sur in late May .
A serious development for Caltrans this week was the power to erect a lightweight pole on an adjoining ledge that led to the March 30 roadway slide that destroyed a big portion of the southbound portion of Highway 1 just past Rocky Creek Bridge near Big Sur.
“Tonight will likely be our first night shift where we will work across the clock, so to talk, to actually do our greatest to maneuver forward to the day when we will open this road to signal traffic. said Kevin Drabinski, Caltrans spokesman, at Wednesday's briefing in Monterey County.
Late last week, Caltrans announced that it expects to finish the primary phase of stabilization efforts by Monday, May 27.
“So this is an important milestone because it means we no longer have to drive convoys and can create open access through the diversion area around the clock,” said Drabinski.
Caltrans operates twice-daily convoys from the Big Sur region for locals and essential employees only.
This week, Caltrans crews accomplished the installation of vertical rock dowels on the western fringe of the roadway on the slip, which will likely be followed by the installation of horizontal rock dowels. The vertical and horizontal dowels in addition to rock anchors and shotcrete sprayed over the webbing help distribute the load and stabilize the sting of the road.
“It's rare that we work at night… What's even more amazing is that this work involves a huge crane crossing the northbound roadway and then being able to reach out a basket of workers and machinery to make these repairs,” Drabinski said .
Zeke DeLlamas, Caltrans emergency manager, said Caltrans work just isn’t typically seen in the course of the night, especially in terms of slides across the roadway.
“That has always been our policy,” he said. “Attempting to do a slide rehabilitation is very dangerous, but in this situation they were able to use the crane and horizontal drill to illuminate this area well and our subcontractor is easily coping with the work in two 12-hour shifts.”
DeLlamas said Caltrans and its partners are working across the clock to expedite this repair as much as possible.
“The signaling system will be activated once the temporary repairs are completed,” DeLlamas said.
In terms of permanently restoring the roadway, DeLlamas said there will likely be a subgrade study in the approaching weeks, a key component in designing a structural solution, to find out what size of support will ultimately be used.
He said that “all signs point to a viaduct” – a bridge often supported by arches and carrying a road across an open space – which is probably the most viable solution and can likely be a three-span structure, but the ultimate decision remains to be pending canceled the second phase of repair work on Highway 1 on the Rocky Creek exit.
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