Southbound Interstate 5 was closed Wednesday morning south of Ashland at the Oregon-California border due to “extreme weather conditions” in Northern California, the Oregon Department of Transportation said.
The closure, starting at milepost 11, was listed as “long term” on ODOT’s TripCheck website.
The northbound I-5 lanes from the border to Ashland were expected to be delayed due to winter conditions. ODOT warned that traction tires were not enough and said all vehicles must have chains, except four-wheel drive vehicles.
Drivers were additionally warned not to use Colestin Road as a bypass during the I-5 closure due to “extremely dangerous conditions.”
Isabel Funk covers breaking news and public safety for the Statesman Journal. Funk can be reached at ifunk@statesmanjournal.com or on X at @isabeldfunk
This article originally appeared in Salem Statesman Journal: ODOT: Weather closes I-5 southbound at Oregon, California state line