On January 15, 2026, Highway 1 on the Central Coast will reach a milestone no one expected or wanted: a 6.8-mile stretch of highway north of San Simeon will close for three years, blocking through traffic heading south from Los Angeles or north from San Francisco.

According to Caltrans officials, the historic closure of the highway in Big Sur has cost $82 million in an effort to reopen the iconic coastal highway.

The closure could end next year. On Monday, Caltrans announced plans to reopen the Regent Slide section of Highway 1 to through traffic “by the end of March 2026.”

But then, Caltrans issued a warning: “The estimated date is based on repair progress but may be impacted by other landslide activity that has already posed a significant safety hazard,” Caltrans said in a press release. “Seasonal weather impacts on site conditions may also impact the projected reopening timeline. Caltrans will continue to provide regular updates.”

The Big Sur restaurant in San Simeon, California, remains quiet after several years of closure, pictured on September 25, 2024.

Caltrans spokesman Kevin Drabinski told SFGATE on Tuesday that weather is difficult to predict, especially during the upcoming winter. Another factor is safety in the landslide area. “Weather warnings and the increased number of landslides support our priority of worker safety at the site,” he added. “If we take care of our crews and create conditions where they can work safely, the road can be opened to traffic as quickly as possible.”

At the same time, Drabinski acknowledged that “wet weather will slow down production.”

Caltrans plans to issue regular project progress reports as the reopening date approaches. Local residents and business owners can check in weekly as the projected completion date in March approaches.

“There won’t be any surprises,” he continued.

Caltrans construction inspector Bret Haney inspects the south side of a massive landslide that plunged into the Pacific Ocean in Big Sur, California, on Wednesday, May 24, 2017. (Joe Johnston/AP 2017)

A closed motel in downtown San Simeon, California, on September 25, 2024.

For businesses in San Simeon, the closest community to the Southern California slide, any news on an expected reopening date is welcome news, given the slide’s heavy reliance on tourist traffic. Many hotel and restaurant owners and managers in the area say they are feeling the pinch of the more than 1,000-day closure of the freeway, which runs through town.

There was also some unexpected news. “Locals and tourists from the south are actually enjoying the closure,” Diane Ramey wrote on SFGATE on Tuesday. Her husband’s family has owned and operated the Ragged Point Inn, located north of San Simeon, about 15 miles from the Regent Slide, since 1962. “It’s quieter, the hiking trails and beaches are less crowded, biking on the highway is safer and more fun, and many businesses have lowered their prices.”

But the more secluded setting has its financial downsides: “However, as a small, family-owned business, providing excellent service with reduced revenue is a challenge,” Lamy wrote. “We feel very fortunate that our loyal and new customers have helped us weather the storm and kept us open. Like most Californians, I deeply miss driving Highway 1 along the Big Sur coast to Carmel. It’s truly one of the most beautiful places in the world.”

Caltrans closed Highway 1 from Lagarde Point to Detjen Big Sur Lodge at 8 p.m. on December 12, 2021.

Albert Barreto, owner of the Coast Riders Inn, who took over the hotel from another operator in 2020 with his wife, told SFGATE last fall that the business was already on the brink. In an interview on Tuesday, Barreto said the latest news from Caltrans was a source of both optimism and skepticism.