Hwy 1 Completely Closed in Two Places

Residents between just west of Leggett and north of Westport on Hwy 1 have lost their normal travel routes to the outside world after slides blocked in that section of the coastal road.

About one mile west of Leggett, a slide plowed across the asphalt today about 11:30 a.m. closing the northernmost section of the remote yet popular route to the coast.

The slide north of Westport came across the road early on March 11 nearly knocking a Caltrans truck over the guardrail and into the ocean. (Click here for more on the story.)

Caltrans spokesperson Phil Frisbee said that a “narrow lane is open for emergency vehicles” at the slide near Westport but workers will not let normal traffic through. “The goal is to get a k-rail in so we can open [Hwy 1] safely tomorrow,” he explained.

UPDATE 3 p.m.: Caltrans said,

Route 1 just west of Leggett is closed due to an active slide. This is at the same location we have reported on before that began in January, periodically closing part of one lane. However, this morning a large amount of mud, rocks, and trees came down, closing the entire road.

The slide is large enough that Caltrans is evaluating the slide to determine if a contractor will be given an emergency contract to remove the debris. More details to follow.