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Proudly serving the Kern River Valley in California
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Highway 178 through the Kern River Canyon reopened after a massive boulder crashed onto the roadway early the day before, shutting down traffic for hours.
According to CHP and Caltrans logs, the closure began around 2:56 a.m. Friday, when crews reported a “large boulder the size of an entire lane” blocking the road at the mouth of the canyon. CHP quickly set hard closures on both ends, and by 3:38 a.m., the Traffic Management Center confirmed the full shutdown at milepost 15.1.
At 2:57 a.m., crews located another boulder near Powerhouse #1. Conditions worsened by 4:45 a.m., with Caltrans reporting that even emergency vehicles were unable to pass due to shifting debris.
The canyon remained closed as Caltrans assessed the slope and broke down the boulder blocking the roadway. No major roadway damage was reported. Caltrans will continue monitoring the canyon for additional rockfall, especially with more wet weather expected.
Drivers are urged to use caution through the area, where rockslides are common after storms.
