UPDATE: (Monday, Dec. 19) For information: Caltrans District 7 blog. The latest traffic information can be obtained on the Caltrans website: http://www.dot.ca.gov/ by accessing the Quickmaps feature.
UPDATE (issued Saturday, Dec. 17, by Caltrans 4:34 p.m.) — Montebello — The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) opened the westbound Pomona Freeway (SR-60) at approximately 11:15 a.m. Eastbound SR-60 open at 3:15 p.m. today. The demolition of the remaining bridge section above westbound SR-60 will occur between 11 p.m and 5 a.m. from Sunday, December 18 to Tuesday, December 20. Up to two lanes of the eastbound SR-60 will be closed and the westbound SR-60 will be entirely closed between I-605 and Garfield for this operation.
UPDATE (issued Saturday, Dec. 17, by Caltrans at 1 p.m.) — The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) opened the westbound Pomona Freeway (SR-60) at approximately 11:15 a.m. Construction crews are repairing fire damaged sections of roadway on eastbound SR-60. It is expected that eastbound lanes will open to traffic on Saturday, December 17 by 5 p.m.
Caltrans has issued a detour map to help the community navigate around the closure of SR-60 this weekend. The map points to routes to the hospital, the alternate route to Paramount Boulevard, and ways for shoppers to access Montebello Town Center. Click on image to view map at full size.
For public transit options, see our previous post from Thursday:
Public transit options help offset 60 Freeway closure
Here is the news release issued by Caltrans today:
Montebello — The California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) is working to re-open both directions of the Pomona Freeway (SR-60) to traffic by mid-day Saturday, December 17, after the discovery of hazardous materials delayed a planned reopening today.
Eastbound and westbound SR-60 has been closed since Wednesday afternoon between the Long Beach Freeway (I-710) and the San Gabriel River Freeway (I-605) after a tanker truck caught fire on eastbound SR-60 atParamount Boulevard. There were no serious injuries.
Currently, utility work continues on the Paramount Bridge above eastbound SR-60. Following that, demolition of the eastbound portion of the bridge will resume; the westbound side has been determined to be safe and will not be demolished at this time. Pavement work is expected to begin late today.
The westbound SR-60 closure has been shortened from I-605 to Rosemead Boulevard. The freeway connector transition from northbound and southbound I-710 to eastbound SR-60 remains closed.
Caltrans, with its emergency contractor Flatiron Construction, is working around the clock to complete the repairs that will allow the freeway to reopen. The Department is cognizant of the impacts this closure is having on the local communities and is doing everything possible to shorten their inconvenience. In the meantime, Caltrans is taking advantage of the closure to perform various maintenance activities on the freeway.
Motorists are advised to plan ahead, be patient, and use alternate routes or public transportation, if possible. Signed detours are in place. The latest freeway traffic information can be obtained on the Caltrans website: http://www.dot.ca.gov/ by accessing the Quickmaps feature.
Categories: Service Alerts
The state should put the trucking company which owned the double tanker that caused all of this our of business. Only the eastbound lanes of the 60 Freeway should open and the westbound lanes stay closed while the remaining half of this overpass is demolished.
I feel bad for all of the small businesses in the region that will take a hit. I think I smell a class action lawsuit.