“I mean, it’s pretty chaotic. They require chains up this mountain; otherwise, you slide. I think there’s already a couple of accidents.”
CALIFORNIA, USA — Families eager for a white Christmas were still heading into the Sierra Nevada on Christmas Eve, even as winter weather caused closures and difficult driving conditions along Interstate 80.
Caltrans warned that drivers traveling through the corridor could face strong winds, heavy snow and extended delays, urging people to reconsider travel if they felt uneasy driving in winter conditions. Crews were stationed along the highway as snow continued to fall near the Nyack exit.
One family traveled from the Bay Area to experience snowfall for the first time. “It’s for her birthday. She’s from Utah so we’re about to go over there, celebrate her birthday,” the father said. His wife added they planned to ski for the weekend and that it was their first time seeing snow.
The family encountered chain controls a few miles before reaching the Kingvale exit on eastbound I-80. “I mean, it’s pretty chaotic. They require chains up this mountain otherwise, you slide. I think there’s already a couple of accidents,” said Jullian Sekona, the mother traveling with her family. “But I mean I think it’s pretty. It’s Christmas, it’s snowy and what better than to have a white Christmas.”
For many drivers, installing chains for the first time added to the challenge. A chain installer working along the highway said one of the biggest mistakes he sees is people driving too fast, especially those in all-wheel-drive vehicles who assume they can handle snowy roads. “If you’re gonna drive in the snow, please put your chains on to be safe. Like 10, 15 miles per hour at the most,” he said.
Jeremy Linder, a spokesman for Caltrans District 3, said changing conditions make travel unpredictable at any hour. “You may very frequently come to a point where we’re turning traffic around on the interstate or holding traffic, and you never know the duration,” Linder said. “That could be a 30 min wait, that could be several hours.”
Linder said Caltrans crews were prepared for the storm, even through the holiday. “Our maintenance crews are on full-fledged storm mode. They’re doing 12-hour shifts, 24/7 operation,” he said, adding that the biggest impacts were expected on Christmas Day.
For those who still plan to travel, Caltrans said preparation is critical, recommending drivers carry chains, food, water and blankets before heading into the mountains.
WATCH MORE ON ABC10 | Snow and chain control slow holiday travel on I-80