There’s been a rockslide on a section of Highway 1 in Big Sur, 1.8 miles (2.9 km) south of Lucia, roughly here:

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This is not an uncommon event during the winter rainy season, and the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) usually fixes these things quickly. Although this means that you cannot travel from Carmel to Cambria through Big Sur, Big Sur is not ”closed” as I’ve read in some poorly conceived tweets. (Trying to convey accurate information in 140 characters isn’t always easy!) The businesses and parks in Big Sur on either side of the rockslide are open. However, if you want to travel from Carmel to Cambria, for now the inland route on Highway 101 is the only option.

For reasons like this, the Central Coast Traveler recommends that you consult the Caltrans road conditions website before setting out on any road trip. Just type in the number of the road you want to check (“1″ “101″ etc.) and you’ll get precise real-time data about construction and emergency road closures.

Check back in with the Central Coast Traveler, as I’ll have updates on the progress of the Highway 1 repair work as information becomes available.