A main road used by crowds of people to get to the San Diego County Fair reopened ahead of schedule, putting to rest fears of a traffic nightmare during the summer classic.
Northbound Jimmy Durante Boulevard had been blocked off to drivers since a bluff collapse on April 20.
The city of Del Mar said the bluff collapse buried about 100 feet of sidewalk, bike lane and a traffic lane beneath a three- to five-foot layer of soil and vegetation. The slope failure involved City-owned property and private property on Seaview Avenue.
The road was originally expected to reopen no earlier than June 4 - after the first weekend of the fair - but crews finished ahead of schedule after the city of Del Mar declared a local emergency to expedite repairs.
A temporary wall made of I-beam pilings and steel plates was installed over the weekend and will eventually be replaced by a permanent wall that hasn't been designed yet.
The cost of repairs is estimated at $1 million.
The San Diego County Fair kicks off May 31 and an average of 60,000 people are expected to attend the fair each day. The fair is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.
