FREMONT — Flooding continued to wreak havoc on the Bay Area freeways and highways Sunday, with commuters traveling on Interstate 880 the latest to feel the wrath.
The California Highway Patrol shut down all lanes of I-880 in both directions late Sunday morning after flooding from a canal overflow turned the freeway into a small river.
The CHP announced the full closure in both directions at 11:51 a.m.
Northbound traffic had to divert the freeway at the Mowry Avenue exit and was expected to be closed until at least 10 p.m. Sunday night, according to the CHP. The southbound lanes were closed at Thornton Avenue and were expected to be closed until at least 2 p.m.
The CHP also closed down the on-ramp from westbound Mowry Avenue to northbound I-880 and the southbound Thornton Avenue on-ramp.
⚠️FLOOD ALERT, PLAN ALTERNATE ROUTE
🚧 I-880 northbound, south of Thornton Avenue, lanes #2-4 are closed.
🚧I-880 southbound, south of Thornton Avenue, lane #4 is closed.
CHP is on scene with Caltrans, please avoid the area! pic.twitter.com/0GyfsWFEaJ
— CHP Hayward (@CHPHayward) March 12, 2023
Earlier, the CHP had closed only one lane in the southbound direction. The flood waters made that area of the freeway look like a river.
“My understandings is that the drainage canal overflowed just due to the overwhelming rains,” CHP spokesperson Officer Kylie Musselman said. “We’ve got crews out there with Caltrans dealing with it.”
A Sig-Alert for severe traffic conditions remained in effect for the area at noon, and motorists were advised to use alternate routes.
Also Sunday, authorities closed a stretch of Highway 1 in Monterey County for Salinas to Highway 129 because of the flooding associated with the breached levy on the Pajaro River.
Authorities on Saturday closed Highway 84 in both directions from Portola Road to Skyline Boulevard in San Mateo County.
On Friday, intense rains coupled with a failed water pump flooded Interstate 580 in Oakland and closed the freeway from the 35th Avenue exit to the High Street exit.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
Source: www.mercurynews.com