SAN DIEGO — Commuters traveling through the Carmel Valley area faced a tough start to their Friday morning following a multi-lane crash on northbound Interstate 5.
The incident occurred near Carmel Mountain Road and was first reported to the California Highway Patrol (CHP) at approximately 7:05 a.m.
Key Details of the Incident:
- Location: Northbound I-5 at Carmel Mountain Road.
- Lanes Impacted: The HOV lane, both left lanes, and the middle lane were initially blocked.
- Status: All lanes were officially reopened by 7:30 a.m.
As emergency crews arrived on the scene, traffic was funneled into the two remaining right-hand lanes. The restriction caused significant congestion, with brake lights stretching back as drivers attempted to navigate the bottleneck during the peak of the morning rush.
Quick Response Reopens Freeway
Fortunately for North County commuters, the scene was cleared relatively quickly. By 7:30 a.m., CHP confirmed that all lanes were back in service. While the physical blockage was removed, residual delays lingered for some time as the backlog of vehicles began to disperse.
Travel Tip: While the freeway is clear, Northbound traffic may still be heavier than usual in the Carmel Valley corridor.
At this time, authorities have not released information regarding the number of vehicles involved or the cause of the collision. It is currently unknown if any parties sustained injuries in the crash.
