BIG SUR - The forces of nature that have shaped the Big Sur coast have also been relentless in tearing it down. On Wednesday, California’s latest attempt to reconcile cars and shifting ocean cliffs will be put to the test.

Fourteen months after a winter of storms unleashed rocks and dirt that buried Highway 1, Caltrans reopened the road Wednesday. Once again, visitors will be able to complete the fabled Big Sur drive, locals will be able to get to work or school hassle-free and the area’s tourist-driven economy will see a burden lifted.

“This has sort of been the history of this coast from the beginning,” said John Duffy, an engineering geologist in Pismo Beach who consulted on the $54 million highway project told the San Francisco Chronicle. “It’s an emerging coastline geologically speaking, and it’s in a constant state of trying to come to some stability. All of the factors that have made it such a beautiful place also make it a challenging place to maintain a road,” he said.

Story Date: August 5, 2018