Updated: 2:35 PM PDT Apr 23, 2021 Josh Copitch Digital Media Manager Gov. Gavin Newsom was in Big Sur on Friday as Caltrans reopened Highway 1 near Rat Creek. Caltrans is reopening the road two months ahead of schedule. The highway closed in January as mudslides washed away 150 feet of the roadway due to debris flow from the Dolan Fire burn scar. Newsom was joined by Caltrans Director Toks Omishakin, Congressman Jimmy Panetta, Assemblymember Robert Rivas and others.Debris FlowThe road failure at Rat Creek was a result of 17 inches of rain coming down on the Dolan Fire burn scar in the span of three days this winter. The debris flow caused water to pool and cut under the existing roadway, eroding a 150-foot hole in the mountain.Caltrans repaired the chasm using engineered fill rather than building a bridge.Each layer of fill was tamped down to make sure it could withstand the weight of the highway. Once the fill was in, crews rammed in a culvert so th