“Certainly the I-5 and the 14 Freeway will be affected,” Hall said.
In the event that snow does fall and stick in the Grapevine, officers with the California Highway Patrol, (CHP) Newhall Area Office can either escort traffic through the Grapevine, or launch “Operation Snowflake.” During this time, CHP officers close the northbound 5 Freeway down at Parker Road in Castaic.
In 2019, the California Department of Transportation, (CALTRANS) installed a gate in the center divider of the 5 Freeway just north of Lake Hughes Road, giving motorists the option to either turn around on the freeway or exit at Parker Road.
The decision to close the I-5 Freeway due to snowfall is made shortly prior to the closure, so Santa Clarita residents are urged to follow KHTS on social media, as well as on-air at 98.1 FM and AM 1220 for up-to-date traffic conditions.