A 40-mile stretch of I-5 in California running from Gorman to Bakersfield was reopened at 10:30 a.m., according to California Highway Patrol (CHP). State police are warning that black ice conditions remain and are “providing escorts” to enforce safe driving speeds along the highway.
The highway closed yesterday at 2:39 a.m. because of snowy road conditions resulting from a weeklong stint of precipitation. On Monday night, a storm dropped 5 inches of rain on Southern California, and that figure could double by the end of tonight, the Los Angeles Times reported.
“Even after the snow was removed [CHP] is concerned over the safety of the motorists,” Ricardo Quintero, spokesman for CHP told Fleet Owner. “It’s still raining out there, and when it hits the ground it could freeze over.”
CHP is currently not allowing motorists to travel at the maximum speed limit on that stretch of highway. Motorists should travel between 45 to 60 mph, depending on road conditions and the size of the vehicle, Qunitero advised.
Traffic conditions are currently congested, with the best alternate route being Highway 101, Quintero said. However there is debris on that road near Malibu due to a mudslide.
“There’s a lot of trucks stranded out there,” Quintero said. “And the alternate routes are congested.”
