Traffic & Transit
Highway 243 Clear Of Boulders, Debris After Rock Slide Cleanup
Heavy downpours triggered a rock slide with large boulders on the southbound side of the two-lane highway between Banning and Idyllwild.
BANNING, CA — At least one large boulder toppled onto northbound Highway 243, blocking the mountain corridor for about an hour amid Tuesday's winter storm.
The boulder and debris obstructed at least one of the two lanes for several hours until it was ultimately cleaned up, California Highway Patrol's San Gorgonio officers reported.
Caltrans crews arrived around 12:30 p.m. to assess the roadway for cleanup and other damages and were able to clean up the mess. The road was reopened to through traffic by 2:30 p.m., CHP Officer Jason Montez said.
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The rock slide was initially reported midday Tuesday on the southbound side of the two-lane highway, near Twin Pines Road, roughly halfway between Idyllwild and Banning, according to the CHP.
Motorists encountering the big rock were forced to navigate around it, CHP reported.
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No injuries were reported, and there have been no reports of vehicles damaged by falling rocks.
City News Service contributed to this report.
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