Highway 140 in the Merced River Canyon in Mariposa County.
Credit: Caltrans

Partners Co-Piloting Program to Enhance Safety on State Route 140 in Mariposa County

March 29, 2019 - STOCKTON — Caltrans, the National Weather Service (NWS) and several other agencies and partners are teaming up to bring a proactive approach to weather forecasting and its impact on California’s transportation network.

Caltrans District 10 (Stockton) and the NWS Hanford office in Central California are co-piloting the “Prepare Program” in Mariposa County. This program calls for pre-emptive closures of State Route 140 in the area of the Ferguson Fire burn scar when there is heavy rain forecasted over the course of multiple hours in this region. The program can be used in other areas of the state that are impacted by weather.

This area is specifically susceptible to mudslides and debris flow, and these closures are being done for the sake of public safety.

In this Caltrans News Flash, Public Information Officer Thomas Lawrence treks up to State Route 140 in Mariposa County to give an inside look at a proactive program being used for the sake of public safety.


Source: Caltrans

Related Information Per ABC 30: Caltrans implements new plan to protect drivers in burn scar area