Big Sur >> Caltrans reopened Highway 1 at Paul’s Slide Tuesday, meaning 35 miles of roadway is now open to the public between the massive Mud Creek slide in the south and the downed bridge to the north, though access remains only via Nacimiento-Fergusson Road.

Highway 1 remains closed in the north near Big Sur Station at Pfeiffer Canyon, where work continues on a new bridge. The highway remains closed in the south in the Salmon Creek area — just south of the ranger station — to just south of Gorda, due to the Mud Creek slide. The highway is accessible from San Luis Obispo County past Ragged Point to Salmon Creek.

Travelers cannot go all the way on Highway 1, but local businesses are open on both sides of the closure at Pfeiffer Canyon and Salmon Creek. After the longest closure in its history, Esalen Institute announced it will reopen to the public July 28.

Work continues on the new Pfeiffer Canyon Bridge, and assessments are ongoing at the impassable Mud Creek slide.

Now that Highway 1 is open around the clock at Paul’s Slide, the roadway will be under one-way reverse traffic control with flaggers on site, giving Caltrans the opportunity to continue repairing the road and watch for any new movement. Big waterfalls remain from all the rain this past winter, which makes it possible for problems to arise, said Susana Cruz, a Caltrans spokeswoman.

According to Cruz, construction of the new Pfeiffer Canyon Bridge is on schedule for completion by mid- to late-September. The steel girders for the new bridge are currently being fabricated at a plant in Vallejo before being moved to a plant near Stockton for painting. Concrete will be poured, by section, onto forms to complete the single-span, $24 million project.

No parking signs have been installed on the north and south sides of the Pfeiffer Canyon Bridge construction site due to vehicles parking too close to the project site.

“All these vehicles need to be moved as soon as possible or tickets will be issued and towing will occur,” said Cruz.

Mud Creek had a major slide in May, losing 5 million cubic yards of material. Cruz said geotechnical and radar assessments continue at the site and it remains impassable.

“We’re hoping to have a solution ready by August,” said Cruz. “We’re taking time making the assessments to save time later and present the best plan possible.”

Cruz said the body of the slide from the mid-section up is not moving, but the bottom section is still seeing a little movement.

In the meantime, Caltrans is in contact with the California Coastal Commission, the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary and the U.S. Geological Service, seeking the best solutions and moving on the permitting process, said Cruz.

James Herrera can be reached at 831-726-4344.