Motorists should expect closure to last for at least a week
– longer if rainfall continues
Gilroy – Highway 152 is closed for at least a week after ground underneath the roadway slipped and weakened the road Tuesday, Caltrans officials said. Motorists between Gilroy and Watsonville should use Highway 129 while crews work to repair the roadway.
The areas closed are between Casserly Road and Carlton Road, and at Mt. Madonna at the county line, and are expected to reopen sometime in the next week and half, weather permitting.
According to Caltrans spokesperson, Jim Shivers, additional landslides and slipouts remain a threat on Highway 152.
“If the rain keeps falling heavily that can cause the potential for more slipouts or landslides,” he said. “We need good weather to make the repairs.”
Highway 152 may be closed longer than expected if rain interferes with the reconstruction, Shivers said.
Forecasts from the National Weather Service indicate a break in the rain today through Friday morning, however, another cold front is expected to move into the area Friday afternoon.
Students attending Mount Madonna School off of Summit Road are largely unaffected by the closure. The roads are open to the school, and vacation begins next week.
Road crews have been monitoring the area, watching out for signs that the ground underneath the roads are giving way.
Shivers advises those using the roads to watch their speeds around the corners and be aware of the possibility of landslides.
