Motorists crept along one lane of a scenic stretch of California's iconic Highway 1 on Monday after a giant chunk of it collapsed into the ocean following heavy weekend rains, stranding as many as 1,600 people in the coastal community of Big Sur. Convoys of vehicles resumed at 8am Monday for one lane of the highway, though most of the people trapped in Big Sur were allowed to leave when a single lane was reopened Sunday after being closed overnight, said a spokesperson for the California Department of Transportation. "During the time the convoys are passing, we physically have observers on site to put eyes on the condition of the roadway to make sure it's still safe to travel," he said.
The collapse occurred Saturday near Rocky Creek Bridge about 17 miles south of Monterey, and traffic backed up for miles in both directions, the AP reports. Kirk Gafill, the manager of Nepenthe restaurant in Big Sur, said about a dozen of his employees who were working that day were trapped in town and had to find friends or family members to spend the night with. "That's probably true for every business in Big Sur," he said. The Big Sur Lodge opened its conference room to offer some trapped motorists a place to stay, while others spent the night in their vehicles.
Another convoy of vehicles was scheduled for 4pm Monday, but motorists were urged to avoid the area. The spokesman said engineers will focus on stabilizing the edge of the roadway, but it's not immediately clear when the road will be ready to reopen. The famous route has had frequent closures because of collapses, mudflows, and rockslides during severe weather. Road workers are expected to get a break from the heavy rains that fell over the weekend, with dry conditions expected for the next several days, said a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in the Bay Area.
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