Highway opens after approximately 14-hour closure; chains required

Ashland.news staff report

Thursday, Nov. 21: This story is no longer being updated. For current road conditions, go to TripCheck.com.

Update, 9 p.m. Wednesday: Interstate 5 is now open northbound and southbound over the Siskiyou Summit between milepost 11 in Ashland and the Oregon-California border, ODOT announced at 8:12 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 20. Chains are required on all vehicles, excluding four-wheel drive and all-wheel drive vehicles (unless towing).

While the freeway is open, travel may still be difficult with changing weather conditions, ODOT cautioned. Motorists should be prepared for chain restrictions and watch for snowplows and workers in the area.

Update, 2 p.m. Wednesday: ODOT reminds drivers that extended closure remains in place on Interstate 5 southbound from milepost 14 in Ashland to the border due to blizzard conditions in California. Interstate 5 northbound is closed in California at Redding.

Highway 66 to the Greensprings and Dead Indian Memorial Road to Lake of the Woods are both closed to through traffic. Local traffic is permitted on those roads, according to ODOT.

Original story:

Interstate 5 is closed south of Ashland, the Oregon Department of Transportation announced at 6:11 a.m. Wednesday, due to “extreme weather conditions in Northern California.” The closure is expected to be “long term,” ODOT said.

Southbound traffic is being stopped at Exit 11 south of Ashland. Northbound traffic on I-5 is being stopped at Fawndale, 10 miles north of Redding, due to snow, according to Caltrans, the California transportation agency.

Highway 66 over the Greensprings is also closed, according to ODOT’s TripCheck webpage.

This story will be updated.

Email Ashland.news at news@ashland.news.

Nov. 20: Adjusted time ODOT’s initial notice was sent out, added that the weather conditions leading to the closure are in Northern California, and corrected spelling of Fawndale.