The repair Highway 101 stretch north of Garberville that last March was inundated by a landslide. Click to enlarge. Caltrans photo

Just more than seven months after a hillside slid down and buried Highway 101 north of Garberville, Caltrans has finished its repairs.

The massive landslide — 600 feet wide and extending 1,500 feet above the road — closed the vital north-south link March 30, and Caltrans was able to reopen the road to one-way controlled traffic five days later after crews worked 24 hours a day. As worked continued, the highway later was opened to one lane in each direction. Now, all four lanes are fully open.

The cleanup and repairs cost about $8 million, said Caltrans spokesman Scott Burger.

He said the work was designed to ward off possible future slides at the site.

Finishing touches, such as shoulder work and striping, are expected to be finished by mid-December.

Aerial view of March's landslide on Highway 101. Click to enlarge. Photo by Felix Omai of KMUD radio