Highway 17 Partially Reopened In Both Directions After Landslide Forced Closure

SANTA CRUZ (CBS SF) -- Caltrans and the California Highway Patrol have reopened one lane in each direction on state Highway 17 near Scotts Valley Saturday morning.

A landslide forced the highway's closure between Scotts Valley and the Santa Clara County line Friday morning in both directions due to an unstable hillside and drivers were asked to take alternate routes.

Cleanup crews remain on scene Saturday morning attempting to clear the slide, CHP officials said.

On Friday, Caltrans crews, CHP officials and personnel from the California Division of Occupational Safety monitored the landslide throughout the day and eventually decided to reopen the highway's southbound lanes for the evening commute.

The area is same area where a construction worker died Thursday after a truck struck him as he was clearing a mudslide along the highway between Vine Hill and Sugarloaf roads, CHP officials said.