California travelers faced a nightmare commute on Christmas Eve as storms battered the region and holiday traffic surged. Interstate 5 through the Grapevine became a choke point for thousands of motorists, with multiple crashes reported between Gorman and the Central Valley.
The first major incident occurred at 5:49 a.m., when a big rig fire shut down all southbound lanes. By mid-afternoon, another crash involving a semitruck and a van closed northbound lanes near Grapevine Road, damaging guardrails and power poles. While lanes reopened later, California Highway Patrol warned drivers to expect significant delays well into Christmas Eve.
“This one is pretty bad,” CHP Officer Gregorio Rodriguez told the San Francisco Gate. “With the way the traffic is, it’s going to take a couple of hours to get things going.”
Grapevine traffic conditions expected to remain poor
As of Wednesday morning, all lanes on I-5 through the Grapevine are open, but traffic remains heavily congested in both directions. CHP reports residual backups from Tuesday’s crashes and ongoing storm impacts.
- Southbound: Major delays continue after the big rig fire and slick conditions.
- Northbound: Lanes reopened overnight following a multi-vehicle crash, but expect slowdowns as congestion clears.
Motorists should anticipate long travel times and consider alternate routes such as State Route 99. Officials warn that heavy rain and high winds persist, creating hazardous conditions for large vehicles…