CHP officials shut down one of the West Coast's most important interstates on one of the busiest travel days of the year because metal wires from power lines sagged into the roadway.
Interstate 5, perhaps the most relied-upon method for travel between Northern and Southern California, had been shut down just north of Harris Ranch, near Highways 145 and 198, west of the cities of Lemoore, Hanford and Visalia.
Officers reported 10 miles of traffic back up on the Northbound side. Southbound traffic was also described as bad, but not as bad as the northbound side.
CHP officers first received a report of metal wires across the road just before 8:30 a.m. on Wednesday. Officers opened the roadway at about 11 a.m.
Officers eventually routed northbound traffic along Highway 145 to Colusa, westbound on Mt. Whitney, back to Highway 33 and I-5.
Southbound traffic was routed onto state route 145 before making it back to I-5 again.
Officers issued a Sig Alert by about 10 a.m. because of a very large volume of cars about the traffic situation.
