Gibraltar Road has finally reopened after major repairs for storm damage, the County Public Works Department said this week.

The steep roadway winds its way from Santa Barbara to East Camino Cielo, which follows the Santa Ynez Mountains ridgeline.

It’s been closed, except for emergency access, since the Jan. 9, 2023, rainstorm caused slip-outs and slides.

This week, the county fully reopened the road and East Camino Cielo between Gibraltar and Painted Cave Road.

The long list of repairs included excavating and rebuilding embankments, hydroseeding and erosion control for slopes, and replacing damaged asphalt.

Construction costs were around $2.1 million, and the work was finished at the end of April, Public Works officials reported to the Board of Supervisors this week.

The county also reopened Barker Pass Road between Highway 192 and Nicholas Lane, in the Eucalyptus Hill area near Santa Barbara. That road was damaged during this winter’s storms, and construction was finished in early May.

Public Works officials have estimated that repairs will cost $74 million for all the transportation-related storm damage sites. Some of that will be reimbursed by FEMA since it happened during declared emergencies.

Gibraltar Road is an important access route for residents, emergency responders, Los Padres National Forest visitors, and people maintaining radio transmitter equipment on Gibraltar Peak.

It’s also a popular route for cyclists. The 3,500-foot hill climb has been a finish stage for past Amgen Tour of California cycling road races, and part of the route for the Ride Santa Barbara 100 race.

Organizers canceled the 2023 Pier to Peak half-marathon because of the Gibraltar Road closure but they were hopeful it could return in 2024.

The run starts at the Dolphin Fountain near Stearns Wharf and finishes at La Cumbre Peak Park. The route includes a climb up Gibraltar Road and a 3,996-foot elevation gain.