If there’s a route in the US that could give you one of the best views while on the road, it’s arguably California’s Highway 1. Also known as the Pacific Coast Highway, it’s one of America’s most famous thoroughfares, giving motorists a scenic view of the Pacific Ocean while on a leisurely drive.
Massive Highway washout in California
But if you’re planning to take a therapeutic road trip on this side of the country soon, you might want to reconsider your plans as a part of Highway 1 received a substantial amount of damages due to torrential rains, getting washed away into the ocean.
California Department of Transportation (or Caltrans) has released a drone footage of the collapsed part of the highway, courtesy of the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office. The washout, which practically took a huge chunk of the road and wrecked the pathway, happened just south of Big Sur, causing the route’s closure until further notice.
According to Caltrans, the town of Big Sur is still open and accessible from the north. However, if you’re coming from Ragged Point headed towards Big Sur, the detour isn’t exactly convenient as it turned a 45-mile drive into a 200-mile plight, as pointed out by a Reddit user.
Drone video captures the scope of the washout along Highway 1 in the Big Sur region. https://t.co/8d84NVyLKH pic.twitter.com/fDzPTLumRl
— NBC Bay Area (@nbcbayarea) January 30, 2021
Drone captures shocking footage
Highway 1 isn’t exactly new to this wrath. Its cliffside nature subjects the road to destruction during typhoons and heavy rains, sustaining damages that either partially or fully close the route. It isn’t news to people near the area anymore, which could make you think about the future of the famous thoroughfare decades down the line.
In 2017, a significant portion of Highway 1 was closed when Mud Creek’s steep slopes collapsed and wiped out the road for over a year. Caltrans suggests that you check out its QuickMap first before traveling within the area to mitigate inconveniences.