The northbound and southbound lanes of the 710 Freeway in East Los Angeles were back open yet again Sunday night ahead of a new planned closure scheduled to begin late Sunday night and carry into Monday morning, according to Caltrans.
After opening all lanes at approximately 8 p.m. Sunday, Caltrans stated that all lanes expected to be closed in both directions from 11 p.m. until 5 a.m. on Monday morning.
The freeway was closed Sunday evening for repairs to power lines, after lanes had re-opened Sunday morning following utility lines being pulled down onto vehicles by construction equipment and two people suffering minor injuries on Saturday.
A little after 5:05 p.m. Saturday, a Caltrans subcontractor operating an Excavator on the southbound lanes, south of Whittier Boulevard, within a construction zone, collided with power lines that run over northbound and southbound lanes of the freeway, the California Highway Patrol reported.
The power lines were knocked down onto the roadway and a Honda CR-V going northbound struck the downed lines.
Both the occupants inside the car, a 48-year-old woman and a 23-year-old man, were taken to an area hospital with minor injuries.
Southbound traffic on the 710 Freeway was being diverted to the 60 Freeway. Northbound traffic on the 710 Freeway was being diverted to the 5 Freeway. The northbound 710 Freeway approaching the 5 Freeway was experiencing severe backups, as was the southbound traffic on the 710 Freeway approaching the 60 Freeway.
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The CHP said witnesses reported construction equipment was tangled in the wires and that the construction equipment had caused poles to fall, according to City News Service.
Newschopper4 Bravo was over the freeway at approximately 7 p.m. Saturday and witnessed a line of vehicles trapped on the on ramp. Vehicles could be seen attempting to turn around and go the wrong way on the on ramp. Power lines could be seen in the middle of the freeway with a construction vehicle seemingly entangled in the cables.
Southern California Edison initially reported 254 customers were without power as a result of the traffic accident, said utility spokesman Paul Netter. Crews were able to restore electricity to 112 customers and hoped to have power to the remaining 142 restored by 4 p.m. Sunday, Netter said.
A Sigalert issued at 5:30 p.m. Saturday for the northbound and southbound lanes at Whittier Boulevard was canceled at 2:35 a.m., the CHP said.
All lanes were closed again at approximately 3:30 p.m. Sunday. At 4:34 p.m., the CHP confirmed a full closure of the 710 Freeway at Whittier Boulevard for power line replacement, before the freeway was temporarily reopened Sunday night.
