Commuters faced a standstill Thursday morning as all northbound lanes of the 710 Freeway in Long Beach were forced to close; the result of a diesel spill that has clogged the artery of Southern California's traffic flow. The closure was announced early in the day after a tanker truck released its contents onto the roadway near the Del Amo Boulevard exit, as reported by NBC Los Angeles.
According to FOX LA, the spill prompted the California Highway Patrol to issue a SigAlert, an alert indicating an unplanned event that causes significant traffic delays and motorists were advised to find alternate routes as the SigAlert will remain in place until at least noon, the freeway was congested, and the spill could be seen from above by SkyCal, a development indicating the extent of the spread and potential delays as cleanup commenced. A second diesel truck was brought onto the highway to help transfer the remaining fuel from the compromised vehicle, a strategic move to prevent further spillage and expedite reopening of the road.
Traffic was being diverted off at Del Amo Boulevard, causing significant backups not just on the 710, but also affecting the transition road from the northbound 405 Freeway, as the incident occurred around 5:40 a.m., during the early hours when many begin their commutes, according to ABC7. NewsChopper4 provided aerial footage showing the scene where crews worked diligently to contain and clear the hazard.
The CBS Los Angeles coverage included details of the SkyCal flyover, which captured images of the oil spread across multiple lanes, and while no immediate details were disclosed about the cause of the spill the California Highway Patrol insisted drivers to use alternate routes as they coordinated with cleanup crews.
