A portion of Vasquez Canyon Road remained closed indefinitely Friday after a landslide prompted buckling and significant damage along a 2-mile stretch in the Canyon Country area.
“This isn’t just the road; it’s the mountain itself that’s moving and it’s pushing the road up,” said Paul Funk with L.A. County Department of Public Works.
The roadway was closed Thursday between Lost Creek Road and Vasquez Way after public works officials first noticed the shift around 10:30 that morning.
The closure was said to be indefinite and would likely last for “a long time,” Funk said.
In less than 24 hours, the roadway changed from appearing slightly tilted to being very badly damaged.
More than half the road was lifted some 15 feet in the air, with dirt from the neighboring hillside sliding underneath and causing significant cracks.
As of Friday, the roadway was still adjusting. KTLA reporter Mark Mester, who was at the scene, said he could hear the soil shifting.
Vasquez Canyon Road is popular with cyclists, and provides additional access for drivers living in northern Santa Clarita areas — such as Saugus — and connects Bouquet Canyon Road to the 14 Freeway and Sierra Highway. Traffic was expected to be impacted in the area, including both Bouquet and the Sierra Highway.
Four power poles, owned and maintained by Southern California Edison, were also located on or near the buckling road, but Edison officials said the power had been turned off and customers were not affected.
