UPDATE AS OF 8:00 AM, the involved vehicles (truck-tractor and trailers) are partially in Virginia Creek, immediately west of US 395, and leaking motor oil and possibly diesel fuel into the creek. This is now a being managed as a hazardous materials incident. Representatives from the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) are on-scene to assist with clean-up while Patriot Environmental Services, a private hazardous materials clean-up company, is en route from Bakersfield.
Bridgeport Fire Department has re-responded to the scene. Representatives from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife are also en route. The California Highway Patrol is responsible for the investigation of the incident and will continue to manage the incident throughout today. Motorists are again asked to use extra caution in this area as workers will be in close proximity to US 395 as clean-up continues throughout the day. Motorists should expect intermittent delays of up to 30 minutes throughout the day as clean-up and removal of the vehicles continues.
On Friday, October 10, 2014, at approximately 3:45 AM a non-injury collision occurred involving a truck/tractor pulling two trailers on US 395, north of State Route 270 (Bodie Road). Two on-duty California Highway Patrol (CHP) officers responded and a CHP sergeant was called out from their residence. Bridgeport Fire Department initially responded and cleared the scene a short time later.
As of 6:25 AM a large tow truck is on scene and a plan is being developed to up- right the “big-rig” and trailers. Removing these vehicles could result in intermittent roadway closures lasting up to 30 minutes both north and south of the collision location. A formal press release will be disseminated this afternoon regarding this incident.
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I SUPPORT THIS COMMENT > One percent of 11 or 12 million visits is 110 or 120,000 visits. If every one of those visits does damage, the cumulative impact is tremendous.
There is no way vegetation grows back as fast as it’s destroyed and this is exactly why everyone needs to stay on existing trails.
But of course this will never happen so regardless of education and enforcement the landscape slowly and in some places quickly gets destroyed
I would have turned around and went over Lucky Boy Pass rd. instead of waiting idle. Waiting SUCKS !
Delays of up to 30 minutes?! HA. I’ve been stuck here for over 2 hours and no one has any idea when the hell we’ll start moving again!
Look at what off roaders have done to the desert around Ridgecrest, Cal City, Red Rock Canyon and Jawbone. A US highway like 395 is essential to business development, mobility and general economic progress. They are essential national infrastructure. Off roading? Not so much. It’s recreation for a very small minority of the population, not essential to growing an economy. It’s nice to have but the rest of the country and our natural beauty should not be sacrificed for it.
Wow, your kidding me, off roaders ruined a small piece of desert???!!! what about the millions upon millions of “other” acres, how are they doing? And how about the millions upon millions of other protected wilderness acres, are they ok? Is the beauty still intact????
Well, I’m glad you can justify all the wildlife killing and pollution to “economical progress.” Good for you!
I’m also glad that you can put OHV use into perspective, like i have. You’re right, it’s use is insignificant to the big picture, and so are it’s impacts! Good day!
turtle soup…..If the ORV’ers have their way,those “millions of “other” acres” will eventually fall victim to their “guy-guy look-at-me ” sport too…and Desert Tortoise…..you forgot to mention Lake Los Angeles,Littlerock Dam,High Vista,practically the whole eastside of the Antelope Valley,that isn’t private-owned ranch-land,Antelope Acres,getting into and around the Fairmont area……and that’s just within a few hours of where we live up here in Inyo County….NOW they want to decimate this area too !!!!!…and are slowly but surely getting it done….Thanks a lot off-roaders……keep on ridin’ and tearing up the land !!!…but please….stay out of the creeks and the National Parks and forests…..haven’t you ALREADY done enough ??
Wayne: It’s just no fun unless you can cut your own trail through healthy vegitation.
Ken Warner….And along with that,much more fun if you can leave some beer cans behind,a few broken bottles and toilet paper along the way…..and a big-rush and fun if it can be done around other campers or hikers to annoy them while they’re doing it !!
Wayne, nobody is planning a Woodstock in Lone Pine.
An economic impact
study currently being
conducted by several
industry associations
has preliminary findings
that indicate the direct
annual OHV-related
expenditures exceed $10
billion in California.
http://ohv.parks.ca.gov/pages/25010/files/ohmvr-commission-2014report.pdf
Profit is not the only consideration. There is a cost as well.
Another case study from the USFS: http://www.fs.fed.us/recreation/programs/ohv/CaseStudyReport.pdf
A quote from the study:
“Unfortunately, there’s also been a downside to OHV use. I believe that the vast majority of our
OHV users are responsible. They leave no lasting trace on the land. But if just one percent leave unacceptable damage, that’s still an awful lot of damage: One percent of 11 or 12 million visits is 110 or 120,000 visits. If every one of those visits does damage, the cumulative impact is tremendous.
You don’t have to go far to see it. I could show you slide after slide—tire tracks running through wetlands; riparian areas churned into mud; banks collapsed and bleeding into streams; ruts in trails so deep you can literally fall in; and sensitive meadows turned into dustbowls. Water quality deteriorates, soil erodes, and native plant communities decline, partly because invasive weeds are spread by tires going where they shouldn’t be going. Such use also threatens habitat for threatened, endangered, and sensitive species, like the desert tortoise in areas east of here.
Noise alone is a huge issue. Noise can also pit users against each other or users against homeowners; it’s maybe the single biggest source of social conflict we have when it comes to outdoor recreation.
This isn’t just a matter of a few user conflicts or a few user-created trails here and there – not anymore. In 2003, we figure we had more than 14,000 miles of user-created trails on the National Forest System. That’s a lot of unmanaged use, and it costs a lot to repair. It can lead to lasting damage.
That’s why we’ve got to change the way we manage it. Our nation isn’t the same place anymore. OHV use has reached critical mass. We can’t just leave it alone anymore and hope it comes out all right. If we want all the benefits from OHV use to continue, then we have to make sure it is done in a way that is responsible. And that means better managing it.”
The good ole 395. Killing more wildlife and polluting more of the local environment in one day than OHV use can do in a lifetime…
But lets close roads and limit use of the big bad offroad vehicles – they’re the true problem. lol
Makes perfect sense to me!!