SR-78 road closures extended for fourth time, due to delays from rain: Caltrans

OCEANSIDE, Calif. — The closure for emergency repairs on State Route 78 will continue into next week, Caltrans announced in a release Friday.

Westbound lanes on SR-78 from College Boulevard to El Camino Real will remain closed at least through early week, according to the agency, as crews move into the next stages of work on that side of the highway.

This is the fourth extension to the highway’s shutdown since the work began about two weeks ago , brought on by a sinkhole that formed due to a metal culvert collapsing given heavy flooding in the area.

After work began to the road, Caltrans identified three other surrounding culverts in critical condition , prompting crews to extend the expected time of completion earlier this week.

More bouts of rain coming through the region in the last few weeks have made it difficult for crews to complete the work to the highway in a timely manner.

Caltrans said that workers performed preventive work to shore up the location to protect it from the storms, however, delays to the repairs’ completion still occurred given weather conditions.

Along the westbound lanes, repaving and lane striping is scheduled to happen early next week, the agency said, and should be completed before more rain is expected to roll in mid-week, granted the region remains dry.

Caltrans crews are expected to continue work on the culverts, as weather allows. Signs remain in place on both sides of the Interstate 15 notifying drivers about the closure, as well as on the westbound SR-78.

Motorists using the highway will continue to be detoured to the College Boulevard and Vista Way off-ramp, before being directed west on Vista Way to the westbound SR-78 El Camino Real on-ramp.

Once the westbound lanes reopen, the eastbound lanes will be closed to complete the other side of the culvert repair under the highway.

Real-time traffic information from Caltrans, including road closures, traffic speed and construction updates can be found on the agency’s QuickMap website .

The agency is asking motorists to avoid the area, if possible, and to be careful while driving in the coming days, as another storm moves into the area.

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