Big Bear Lake and Big bear City have had snow showers all morning. They received four inches of snow overnight with another in accumulating today. Road conditions are R2, no chains on four wheel drive vehicles. The roads are slushy today, but that will freeze up as temperatures dip to around sixteen degrees tonight. Please drive cautiously. Here’s a map of road conditions. Once it loads from Google, click on the icons to see conditions as of 11:30 AM today.
Roads Conditions Map
Highway 38 to Big Bear is Closed
Update, Monday Sept 26; Caltrans is pleased to announce that required repairs to State Route 38 are in the final stages today. The highway was damaged as the result of a fuel spill that released approximately 6,000 gallons of gasoline along the south shoulder of the highway on September 19th just north of Angelus Oaks. SR 38 will be open for all traffic before the morning commute at 5:00 A.M. Tuesday, September 27th. It is expected rehabilitation work will continue to occur in the dirt area of the National Forest on the south side of SR 38. Motorists should be aware of the presence of slow moving trucks and possible flagging operations.
The San Bernardino County Health Department has authorized the repopulation of Camp Cedar Falls with a bottled water restriction until drinking water samples return from testing. The Santa Ana Water Resource Board and San Bernardino County Health continue to monitor and test the camp’s water system.
Motorists are advised to slow down and yield to construction workers and vehicles that will be present on and off the roadway.
Friday, September 23; State Route 38 remains closed from Angelus Oaks to Jenks Lake Road West in the San Bernardino Mountains as a result of the traffic collision involving a fuel truck that released 6,000 gallons of gasoline along the south shoulder of the highway. Hazardous material contractor Double Barrel Environmental services has been utilizing heavy equipment and working around the clock to remove the contaminated soil.
Caltrans has an emergency contract in place and a contractor to begin the roadway restoration as soon as the scene is declared free of contaminants. Once the contractor is on scene and estimates can be made, an anticipated reopening date will be determined.
Motorists and visitors traveling to Big Bear and the National Forest need to use State Route 330 which is accessible from Interstate 210 in Highland, or use State Route 18 from either San Bernardino or Lucerne Valley. The Barton Flats recreation area can only be access from Big Bear. At this time, no forest roads, trails or recreations facilities have been closed as a result of the highway closure.
The incident is being managed by the California Highway Patrol under unified command with Caltrans, San Bernardino County Fire Department, and the U.S. Forest Service. The California Department of Fish and Game and the Santa Ana Regional Water Quality Control Board agency representatives are on scene assisting with the incident.
Highway 38 to Big Bear Closed
FUEL SPILL (APPROX. 8,300 GALLONS)
STATE Highway 38
A fuel tanker overturned on SR 38 last night at approximately 10:00 p.m. As a result almost 9,000 gallons of fuel was spilled on the roadway and in a turnout about three miles above the community of Angeles Oaks in the San Bernardino Mountains.
A large cleanup operation is underway that will involve dig up and replacement of the turnout and possibly a section of the roadbed. The duration of the closure is undetermined at this time. As the cleanup process continues a better assessment of the closure period will be available.
The closure is from Angeles Oaks to Lake Williams. This will effect comuters in Big Bear Lake, Big Bear City, Fawnskin and Sugarloaf CA
Highway 330 (Hwy. 330) the most popular route to Big Bear, is now OPEN to all traffic in both directions. Hwy. 330 opened at 4 p.m. today and will remain open permently 24 hours a day, seven days a week. During the remainder of the projects the route will be subject to flagging or possible partial or full closure. Completion of all three emergency projects is expected in late summer.
Repair crews have worked since last December to replace several portions of the roadway that were washed away during heavy winter storms. The June opening beat early assessments, which estimated an October reopening. However, due to favorable weather conditions, and expedited contract work, repairs were able to move forward at an extraordinary pace.
Assemblyman Paul Cook (R-Yucca Valley) stated, “I’m amazed at the speed and quality of the work here. Thinking back, the damage to the roadway in December was enormous. Now, just six months later, we’re cutting the ribbon for the permanent reopening of 330, just in time for the Fourth of July weekend. This is great news for the local economies in the San Bernardino Mountain region.”
“The Department is proud to announce the early opening of State Route 330. Without the dedicated perseverance of the contractors (Skanska and SEMA), local elected officials and agencies, as well as Caltrans’ staff, the success of the project would never have been possible,” said Caltrans District 8 Director Dr. Raymond Wolfe. “The Department would like to thank the mountain communities and businesses for their patience and understanding during this challenging time. Our goal is to continue to provide the traveling public with the best and safest transportation facilities possible.”
Other routes open to Big Bear include Hwy. 38 (through Redlands), Hwy. 18 (through San Bernardino/Crestline), and Hwy. 18 (through Lucerne Valley). Next week the Big Bear Bridge Project at Big Bear Dam is expected to open to the public.
Now is the ideal time to visit Big Bear for a summer getaway trip. The lake is brim full, the fishing exceptional, the surrounding forest awe-inspiring and mellow temperatures and mountain breezes keep the alpine resort cool.
Assemblyman Paul Cook (R-Yucca Valley) and Caltrans are pleased to announce that SR-330 will open permanently following a ceremony on Friday, June 17 to recognize the efforts of contractors and government agencies involved in the repairs. Currently, San Bernardino Mountain access via SR-330 is limited to only a few hours per day, Monday through Friday. Repair crews have worked since last December to replace several portions of the roadway that were washed away during heavy winter storms.
Cook stated, “I’m amazed at the speed and quality of the work here. Thinking back, the damage to the roadway in December was enormous. Now, just six months later, we’re cutting the ribbon for the permanent reopening of 330, just in time for the Fourth of July weekend. This is great news for the local economies in the San Bernardino Mountain region.”
The June opening beat early assessments, which estimated an October reopening. However, due to favorable weather conditions, and expedited contract work, repairs were able to move forward at an extraordinary pace.
Said Caltrans District 8 Director Dr. Raymond Wolfe, “The Department is proud to announce the early opening of State Route 330. Without the dedicated perseverance of the contractors (Skanska and SEMA), local elected officials and agencies, as well as Caltrans’ staff, the success of the project would never have been possible. The Department would like to thank the mountain communities and businesses for their patience and understanding during this challenging time. Our goal is to continue to provide the traveling public with the best and safest transportation facilities possible.”
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