The Mossdale onramp to Interstate 5 in Lathrop will be closed until further notice due to the erosion of the roadway.
The Tracy office of the California Highway Patrol made the announcement on Saturday and noted that it would be a “long term closure” with an unknown reopening time.
With the onramp out of commission, those accessing nearby businesses – a gas station is adjacent to the onramp, and a fruit stand is located on the opposite side of the freeway as is access to Dell’Osso Farms – as well as River Islands at Lathrop — will have to find an alternate way to get back onto I-5 if headed north.
As a precaution, crews blocked not only the access point at the Mossdale onramp – leaving the offramp slide open – but they also blocked the roadway further up the onramp to discourage traffic from attempting to drive around the barriers.
Earlier this year the Tracy CHP office had to deal with drivers on Kasson Road that ignored the road closure signs and crashed into the massive hole that erosion caused beneath the road popular with commuters. Less than a week after the office shared photos of the driver of a car that had ignored the signs and crashed into the hole a pickup truck did the exact same thing – with extensive damage to both vehicles visible in the photos that the agency shared to discourage the behavior.
Drivers that find themselves off the freeway with no other way to access I-5 north can drive under the freeway and take Manthey Road north and access I-5 at Lathrop Road. Drivers can also take I-5 south past the I-205 turnoff and take the Kasson Road exit and then turn around and head north.
On Monday, the director of Emergency Services proclaimed that a local state of emergency now exists in San Joaquin County due to extreme public safety conditions caused by atmospheric rivers and continuing cascading impacts from earlier winter storms which began on March 1.
The San Joaquin County Board of Supervisors is expected to ratify the proclamation during their regularly scheduled meeting today.
Due to isolated flooding events in San Joaquin County along with damage from past storms, the local emergency was proclaimed to help local first responders deal with possible impacts.
Residents are asked to avoid flooded roads, remain clear of fast-moving creeks and rivers, and follow all emergency signage. When driving in the rain, always turn on your headlights.
Sandbags will remain available throughout the County. Up to date information on road closures, how and where to report flooding and downed trees, sandbag locations, and evacuation orders can be found at https://sjready.org/events/winter-storm.
To contact Bulletin reporter Jason Campbell email jcampbell@mantecabulletin.com or call 209.249.3544.
