Another portion of Highway 18 closes indefinitely for repairs

A portion of Highway 18 in the San Bernardino Mountains was indefinitely closed this week after California Department of Transportation crews observed a problem that caused a shift in the road.

All lanes on Highway 18 near “Red Rock Wall,” between Lake Gregory Drive and Pine Avenue, were closed to traffic Friday evening after Caltrans engineers noticed the upbound lane embankment slipping away from the roadway.

The detour for vehicles will be Highway 189 through Blue Jay, though semitrucks, buses and RVS are restricted from using that route due to limited clearance. Commercial and oversized vehicles must use Highway 330 as a detour to Highway 18 for mountain deliveries above Pine Avenue.

Caltrans crews were working Saturday to set up signs along the 210 Freeway. They also will be posted above and below the full closure on Highway 18 to alert oversize vehicles to use Highway 330 as the detour.

Emily Leilen, a spokesperson for Caltrans District 8, said in a video update that the shift in the road showed early signs of damage caused by rain and snow that were seen in another portion of Highway 18, between 40th Street and Highway 138, that washed away in late December.

Caltrans had dedicated $4.2 million in emergency project funding for the repairs in December.

“In the washout back in December, we lost the lanes. We lost the road.” Leilen said. “We caught this relatively early.”

Caltrans will work with Skanska, who is the contractor for the current emergency project on Highway 18.

Officials said the length of the closure is unknown but is expected to last several weeks.