UPDATE: Thursday, 9:12 p.m. ...
Caltrans reports that crews have cleared away enough of the fallen material from the roadway that single-lane traffic is able to get through the area between Hiouchi and Gasquet that had been blocked by a landslide since early Thursday.
Drivers should expect one-lane traffic control and delay, and the status of the route may change.
Original story:
The highway connects Crescent City and Grants Pass. According to Caltrans, the landslide closure extends for about five miles, between Hiouchi and Gasquet in Del Norte County.
The only ways around the closure are either north to Oregon Highway 42 or south to California 2-99. Both routes will add hours to the trip between the coast and I-5.
Myles Cochrane with Caltrans urged drivers to resist the temptation to try an alternate route through the mountains.
"It鈥檚 a long detour and we recognize that but I cannot stress enough, please do not take local routes because it could just get you lost and it could get you into something you don鈥檛 want to be into," he said. "Please do stay on open state highways to get around this thing. We do recognize that it is a very long detour around but crews are working very hard to resume safe access as soon as possible."
Crews are working to clear the blockage on 199 but as of 5:00 Thursday evening, Caltrans had no estimated time of reopening.
