LEBEC, CA (Tuesday, Sept. 13, 2022 at 5:24 p.m.)—Caltrans has announced a third lane on northbound Interstate 5, north of Castaic, has been opened today, ahead of schedule.
LEBEC, CA (Friday, Sept. 8, 2022 at 1:06 p.m.)—Caltrans provided this updated/clarified release later this morning.
CASTAIC – In preparation of opening a third lane on Interstate 5 in northern Los Angeles County, Caltrans District 7 will fully close the northbound direction for several nights beginning today, to pave the inside shoulder for nearly two miles. Once completed, motorists will have three through-lanes on northbound I-5. Currently two lanes are closed to prevent traffic loads from further stressing the retaining walls damaged in the Route Fire that started on August 31.
Each night of the closure of all northbound lanes, the turnaround gate at Parker Road will be opened to return motorists to southbound I-5. This will require two left lanes of southbound I-5 to be closed each time to allow trucks with the radius to turn. Motorists are strongly encouraged to use State Route 14 just north of Sylmar on I-5, State Route 126/Newhall Ranch Road from I-5 to US 101 or US 101 from downtown Los Angeles. Motorists are also advised to expect delays on southbound I-5.
Phase 1 – All northbound lanes will be closed Thursday, September 8, 2022 at 10 p.m. to 10 a.m. on Friday, September 9, 2022. The contractor will place 2,400 feet of asphalt concrete in an already-excavated section that is currently under construction.
Phase 2 – All northbound lanes will be closed each night from Sunday, September 11 to Thursday, September 15 for the contractor to grind the existing asphalt shoulder to place a structural section for 6,000 feet just north of the concrete section, and to restripe the lanes.
- Sunday, September 11 at 11:59 p.m. to Monday, September 12 at 10 a.m. for paving
- Monday, September 12 at 11:59 p.m. to Tuesday, September 13 at 10 a.m. for paving
- Tuesday, September 13 at 11:59 p.m. to Wednesday, September 14 at 10 a.m. for paving
- Wednesday, September 14 at 11:59 p.m. to Thursday, September 15 at 10 a.m. for cleanup and restriping.
On Thursday, September 15, motorists will have three lanes to travel on northbound I-5.
“The safety of the motorists and truckers is our primary goal,” said Gloria Roberts, Caltrans District 7 Acting District Director. “The Route Fire caused extensive damage to the two retaining walls, and traffic cannot travel on the two right lanes until more permanent repairs are completed.”
The contractor is moving quickly to get the excavated portion paved prior to the heavy storms expected with Hurricane Kay, scheduled to arrive on Friday, September 9.
The California Highway Patrol will be enforcing all closures.
The retaining walls that support the roadway were severely compromised. The largest wall is 1,400 feet long and the other is 400 feet long. Some of the vertical steel columns are warped, wall tiebacks are broken and horizontal anchors into the dirt may have been damaged. The cracks on the asphalt road where it meets the concrete shoulder have widened to two inches. Much of the timber lagging has fallen off the wall while the remaining boards have burned. Analyzing steel samples and concrete will determine permanent solutions. Repairs may take until mid-November.
Caltrans and CHP advise motorists to expect heavy delays, reconsider trips or use alternate state routes as much as possible: SR-126 to US-101, or SR-14 to SR138 or SR-58.
LEBEC, CA (Friday, Sept. 8, 2022 at 11:54 a.m.)—Caltrans has announced full closures of all northbound lanes at night on some days. The following is excerpted from the Caltrans press release:
Caltrans is preparing to open a third northbound lane on I-5 north of Castaic to alleviate congestion as crews conduct repairs on the retaining walls damaged in the Route Fire. This will require full closure of the northbound lanes each night beginning Thursday, September 8 to Friday September 9 and continuing again on Sunday, September 11 until Thursday, September 15. The repairs may take until mid-November.
LEBEC, CA (Friday, Sept. 2, 2022 at 3:41 p.m.)—Caltrans has reported that the two right lanes of northbound Interstate 5, between Lake Hughes Road and Templin Highway, will be closed through the Labor Day weekend. Maintenance crews will be repairing damage following the Route fire, which erupted Wednesday, Aug. 31.
LEBEC, CA (Thursday, Sept. 1, 2022 at 12:52 p.m.)—Caltrans reports that on I-5 between State Route 138 and Santa Clarita, northbound is reduced to one lane and southbound is reduced to two lanes.
LEBEC, CA (Thursday, Sept. 1, 2022 at 9:01 a.m.)—CHP reports that the northbound #1 lane is blocked north of Lake Hughes Road. Traffic is very slow heading north from Castaic.
LEBEC, CA (Thursday, Sept. 1, 2022 at 6:46 a.m.)—All lanes, north and south, are now open. The Ridge fire has grown to 5,155 acres and is still zero percent contained.
LEBEC, CA (Thursday, Sept. 1, 2022 at 6:20 a.m.)—Northbound lanes of I-5 are all open from Santa Clarita over the Grapevine, according to CHP. Southbound lanes #1 and #4 are closed from Templin Hwy. to Lake Hughes until further notice.
LEBEC, CA (Wednesday, Aug. 31, 2022 at 10:30 p.m.)—Local Mountain residents who have just returned home tell The Mountain Enterprise that Highway 14 was open and State Route 138 to Gorman was slow going.
LEBEC, CA (Wednesday, Aug. 31, 2022 at 9:04 p.m.)—Interstate 5 remains closed from Santa Clarita to Highway 138 as the Ridge fire in Castaic continues to burn, now at 4,600 acres with zero containment. Traffic is flowing through Lebec, northbound and southbound.
This is part of the September 9, 2022 online edition of The Mountain Enterprise.
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