Niles Canyon Road between Fremont, Sunol to remain closed indefinitely; Voluntary evacuations urged
SUNOL -- Niles Canyon Road, the portion of State Route 84 connecting Fremont to Sunol, will remain closed indefinitely following a landslide last month and another week's worth of wet weather, Caltrans said Monday.
The slide on Dec. 30 came down in the area of Palomares Road shortly before 12 p.m., blocking lanes in both directions. The relentless rain hitting the Bay Area and Northern California has resulted in a number of mudslides, landslides and debris littering the winding roadway which serves as a scenic alternative to Interstate Highway 680.
Caltrans said Monday it has crews working 12-hour shifts to clean up debris, clear flooding, and repair guardrails. Niles Canyon Road was closed between Mission Boulevard in Fremont and Main Street in Sunol.
KPIX 5 First Alert Weather: Current Conditions, Forecasts, Alerts For Your Area
Also in Sunol, there were weather-related closures on Kilkare Road while Foothill Road was closed from Kilkare Road to Castlewood Drive in Pleasanton.
On Sunday, the Alameda County Sheriff's Office urged residents on Kilkare Road, Palomares Road, and Niles Canyon Road to evacuate voluntarily in advance of Monday's storm because of the already saturated soils, and current runoff. The sheriff's office said it was highly possible that access in and out of the communities could be impacted for several days and emergency vehicles may not be able to reach residents.
It was also possible that power would be interrupted for several days at a time because of the storms, the sheriff's office said.
Monday, the latest in a series of atmospheric river storms again drenched an already-soaked Bay Area and Northern California, and forecasters anticipate additional storms during the week.
Caltrans said Niles Canyon/Highway 84 was closed until further notice and the public would be notified as soon as there was an estimated day of reopening.
Caltrans also urged the public to limit nonessential travel, especially during the peak storm hours, and to check traffic conditions before getting on the road.
More information from Caltrans:
Before you get on the road, go to the Caltrans website, and check QuickMap for real-time traffic information or call 1-800-427-ROAD.
Because visibility is limited and roads will be slick, we are asking all drivers to slow down and allow themselves plenty of time to reach their destinations safely.
Move Over to allow Caltrans crews, CHP, and other emergency personnel to perform the important tasks needed to keep the roads open and quickly respond to emergencies.
Never drive through moving water. And if you see standing water, use caution; it may be deeper than it appears.
For 24/7 traffic updates, follow 511.org: https://twitter.com/511SFBAY. For real-time traffic, click on Caltrans QuickMap: http://quickmap.dot.ca.gov/.
