Stretch of California highway reopens after years of repairs

BUR SUR, Calif. (CBS, KYMA) - A portion of California's scenic Highway 1 was reopened to through traffic Wednesday, three years after landslides shut down a parts of the iconic roadway.

The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) District 5 wrote on X that the highway was reopened "three years to the day since Paul's Slide first closed the road. Repairs at Regent's Slide, which left a stable slope above the roadway, were accomplished without worker injuries – significant given challenging site conditions."

The repairs along the Big Sur coast were completed 90 days ahead of the estimated reopening date, Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-Calif.) said.

"This reopening will bring much-needed relief to small businesses and families in Big Sur and the surrounding communities who have shown remarkable resilience and strength," Newsom said in a press release. "I'm grateful to Caltrans crews for delivering Highway 1 ahead of schedule – deploying remotely controlled heavy equipment, stabilizing slopes with thousands of steel reinforcements drilled up to 60 feet deep, and using cutting-edge monitoring systems to overcome extraordinary geological challenges while keeping workers safe."

Caltrans District 5 released this footage showing cars driving along the repaired highway near the Big Creek Bridge.