Jackknifed big rig on I-80 delays traffic for Sierra travelers
Sleet and snow fell at the Nevada County border traveling east on Interstate 80 early afternoon Thursday. Soon, the California Department of Transportation, or Caltrans, called for chain controls while the conditions worsened in higher elevations.Rebecca Caladiao of Sacramento was trying to get back home after a few days in Reno.”I was looking at weather conditions as soon as it was 11 o’clock today thinking, ‘When is the best time to travel?'” Caladiao said.Caladiao made it to Truckee by 2 p.m., the same time Caltrans shut down westbound I-80. A big rig jackknifed about eight miles west of Truckee at Yuba Gap, forcing traffic off I-80 and into Truckee. Luckily, she was able to stop at a nearby gas station and not be stuck on the road. But this ultimately delayed her trip home. Many drivers waited it out at the gas station, like Katie Morani. She had just stopped to fill up when the interstate shut down. “I’m sitting here so I can be the first to see the CalTrans guy and be one of the first to get back on the freeway,” Morani said. Rohin Payman and his friends from Sacramento were already trapped in Truckee. They returned to pick up one car and when the snow picked up, they had to find chains for a second car. “We’re stuck. We’re good to good. We have chains on; tires are good; we got gas so hopefully, the highway clears up so we can slowly get home,” Payman said.After an hour of waiting, the interstate reopened and travelers returned to the road, happy to go home. The snow is the latest round of wet weather to pass through Northern California, with more expected this weekend. Get the latest here.
Sleet and snow fell at the Nevada County border traveling east on Interstate 80 early afternoon Thursday.
Soon, the California Department of Transportation, or Caltrans, called for chain controls while the conditions worsened in higher elevations.
Rebecca Caladiao of Sacramento was trying to get back home after a few days in Reno.
“I was looking at weather conditions as soon as it was 11 o’clock today thinking, ‘When is the best time to travel?'” Caladiao said.
Caladiao made it to Truckee by 2 p.m., the same time Caltrans shut down westbound I-80. A big rig jackknifed about eight miles west of Truckee at Yuba Gap, forcing traffic off I-80 and into Truckee. Luckily, she was able to stop at a nearby gas station and not be stuck on the road. But this ultimately delayed her trip home.
Many drivers waited it out at the gas station, like Katie Morani. She had just stopped to fill up when the interstate shut down.
“I’m sitting here so I can be the first to see the CalTrans guy and be one of the first to get back on the freeway,” Morani said.
Rohin Payman and his friends from Sacramento were already trapped in Truckee. They returned to pick up one car and when the snow picked up, they had to find chains for a second car.
“We’re stuck. We’re good to good. We have chains on; tires are good; we got gas so hopefully, the highway clears up so we can slowly get home,” Payman said.
After an hour of waiting, the interstate reopened and travelers returned to the road, happy to go home.
The snow is the latest round of wet weather to pass through Northern California, with more expected this weekend. Get the latest here.
