Debris and a downed tree lie across Highway 1 following a mudslide that prompted a full closure south of Elk. [Photo courtesy of Caltrans District 1]
Highway 1 is fully closed south of Elk this morning after a landslide completely blocked the roadway near post mile 31 in southern Mendocino County. The first report came in about 7:14 a.m. and as of noon the road is still impassable and, according to Caltrans District 1, there is no estimated time for reopening.
Photos from the scene show a significant amount of soil and debris covering both lanes of the narrow coastal highway, along with downed trees and branches strewn across the pavement.
A landslide blocks both lanes of Highway 1 south of Elk near post mile 31 in Mendocino County. [Photo courtesy of Caltrans District 1]
In a separate incident but due to the full road closure, CHP logs show that at about 8:06 a.m., a Pepsi semi-truck became stuck in the switchbacks near the Elk Bridge on northbound Highway 1 and was unable to turn around.
Highway 1 south of Elk (PM 31.2) in Mendocino County is currently closed due to a slide. [Photos from Caltrans District 1]
CHP logs also show a separate full closure on Highway 1 at the Garcia River Bridge between mile markers 17.0 and 18.5 that started last night. Shortly after 9 p.m., Howard Forest Dispatch advised that the Garcia River Bridge was flooded and completely impassable. The incident was updated to reflect a hard closure of the roadway, and CHP notified Caltrans dispatch. The closure is still in effect as of noon today.
Motorists are advised to seek alternate routes and to monitor conditions for updates. For near real-time information, Caltrans recommends following District 1 on social media, downloading the QuickMap app, or visiting https://quickmap.dot.ca.gov/
Crews assess a large slide covering the roadway on Route 1 as fog hangs over the coastal hillside. [Photo courtesy of Caltrans District 1]
