A stretch of Angeles Crest Highway is closed after severe damage in 4 spots
A stretch of Angeles Crest Highway in the San Gabriel Mountains will remain closed for now after Christmas week storms severely damaged the roadway, officials announced on Tuesday, Dec. 30.
The thoroughfare, also known as Highway 2, saw a significant amount of destruction in at least four locations, Caltrans said on X. The closure extends from Cedar Springs, about 3.3 miles east of Newcomb’s Ranch, to Highway 138.
Photos shared by Caltrans show sections of the highway buckled and broken apart, with large chunks of pavement collapsed or split across the roadway. Damage assessments were ongoing on Tuesday, the agency said.
Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department Assistant Director Mike Leum said in an Instagram post that storm runoff likely undermined portions of the highway, causing sections to collapse. He also warned of hazardous icy conditions, noting that a fire engine spun out on large patches of ice and became stuck before it was later towed to safety.
Leum said it would be a while until the road is repaired.
It was not clear how long that would take, and additional storms on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day could have an impact.
The National Weather Service issued a flood watch for much of Los Angeles County ahead of the rain expected this week.