Tehachapi News

Snowstorm blankets the valleys

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The quiet snowstorm that is blanketing Tehachapi Monday, February 9, 2009, has created the usual traffic difficulties but no major accidents as of late morning.

Officer Ed Smith of the California Highway Patrol office in Mojave said that Highway 58 is open and has not been closed except for an area toward Buttonwillow.

Caltrans road equipment was out early clearing off the state roads, 202 and 58.

Smith said that Tehachapi-Willow Springs Road is closed from Oak Creek Road to Highline Road. He said a car that apparently went around the barriers spun out and the driver called 911.

A big rig also got stuck where it shouldn’t have been, at Cameron Road and Tehachapi-Willow Springs Road.

Smith said Tehachapi-Willow Springs Road probably would be closed until tomorrow.

“We close it, county roads [department] opens it,” Smith said.

At least one vehicle spun out on Highway 202.

The CHP is escorting traffic over the Grapevine and Highway 15 southbound at the California-Nevada state line was closed temporarily because of snow.

As part of its ongoing effort to reduce accidents on Highway 202, Smith said the CHP has been out in force on that road.

“I saw four units out on Sunday morning,” Smith said. “The entire shift was working 202.”

He said the CHP will have a running tally of the patrols available this week.
 

Posted Feb. 9, 2009