NB I-5/SR-12: Closure Due to Fatal Crash, Multiple Big Rig Fires

I-5 UPDATE: WHILE NB #1 (LEFT) LANE OPENS, LANES #2 & #3 WILL REMAIN CLOSED AS CALTRANS CONTINUES CLEANUP

District 10 Public Information Officer has an update from NB Interstate 5 in northern San Joaquin County. The interstate was closed much of the morning following a series of vehicle incidents, and the #1 (left) lane just recently opened.

The #2 (middle) and #3 (right) lanes are expected to remain closed into this afternoon, due to the damage the roadway suffered the incidents and ensuing big rig fire. District 10 will need to clear the roadway and inspect the pavement to assure its safety before the interstate opens to the public.

Please follow District 10’s social media (@CaltransDist10 on Twitter) for updates on I-5.

Here was our Facebook post from earlier today, describing the incident and the response from District 10’s maintenance and public information units:

The incident began shortly after 7:00 a.m. during the commute and that resulted in a pickup truck being overturned. While that incident created thick traffic between Eight Mile Road and SR-12, there was a secondary incident that involved multiple multiple vehicles and big rigs. That secondary event closed the interstate.

One of the first responders to the secondary incident was the District 10 X-team, which was on the scene after responding to the first incident. One of the first steps taken by the X-team was to place signs warning drivers to slow down, due to traffic ahead. The second incident happened shortly after those signs were placed.

District 10’s X-team focuses on traffic management, using sign and cone trucks to alert motorists to changes in roadway conditions. Following the second incident, the X-team set up signs warning motorists that I-5 was closed at Eight Mile Road. The Eight Mile on-ramp was closed to keep cars from entering the interstate.

A District 10 cone truck also got to work, setting up cones to gradually direct traffic that was south of Eight Mile to exit the interstate. At this point, the CHP began to turn cars around that were stuck between Eight Mile and SR-12 – they had no exit ramp to use. These vehicles drove south on the shoulder to exit at Eight Mile.

The district’s X-team and other maintenance regularly train and prepare for these types of incidents, including full highway closures. As a rule, these are the steps Caltrans takes, with the goal of minimizing the negative impact on motorists while also working to get the road cleared and open for traffic:

Step 1: Get the traffic off the highway and establish a detour. Close ramps if appropriate. Ask the CHP to monitor nearby interchanges (Thornton and Eight Mile), because there will be traffic jams.

Step 2: Assess if there is a hazmat risk. If so, contain it. Make sure it doesn’t enter drains. In this case, diesel fuel was spilled.

Step 3: When hazmat is assessed and contained, the CHP must investigate before there is any cleanup. This involves fatalities, so all debris, etc., is circled and analyzed as evidence.

Step 4: Clean up debris.