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48 °F Forecast | Road Cams Wednesday, February 25, 2004 Today's News | Classifieds | Autos | Homes | Jobs | Tempo | Health | Community | Home Delivery SECTIONS Home Page Local News Sports Business Obituaries Life Opinion - Politics AP News Weather Classified Archives Site Map EXTRA Newspaper in Education Personals Movie Times TV Times E The People CLASSIFIEDS Find a Car Find a Home Find a Job Find a Rental Place an ad eSouthernOregon Automotive Communities Entertainment Publications Recreation Calendar CUSTOMER SERVICE Frequent Questions Advertising Information Home Delivery Employment Contact Us Media Kit Network Affiliate Email Story to a Friend January 31, 2004 A Sno-Cat drives past a stranded motorist Dec. 30 following the heavy snowstorm that pounded the Siskiyou Pass in late December. Emergency plan in works for Siskiyou Pass By SARAH LEMON Mail Tribune The closure of the Interstate 5 Siskiyou Pass that stranded hundreds of holiday travelers in snow last month will be more closely scrutinized, officials said. State highway workers continue to blame the freeway’s 20-hour closure from Ashland to Redding, Calif., over Dec. 28 and 29 on an unusually severe snowstorm that caught drivers unprepared. However, agencies are preparing a formal contingency plan to deal with future emergencies that could strand large numbers of motorists, said John Vial, district manager for the Oregon Department of Transportation. "We were slow to recognize that a normal winter operation was developing into an emergency," Vial said of the late December snowstorm. Improving coordination and communication will be the focus of meetings this week between ODOT, the Oregon State Police and California highway officials, Vial said. Clearer guidelines on when to close the pass likely will result, he said. Mired at the northbound exit for Hilt, Calif., Ross Finney said the lack of communication was more frustrating than being waylaid only 20 miles from their Ashland home after driving from the Bay Area. Advertisement "It’s like nobody came to tell us anything, you just sat there," Finney said. Finney said he and his wife had tuned in to the weather advisory radio station posted on road signs. A recorded message simply advised that chains were required but mentioned nothing about the pass closure, Finney said. ODOT had asked California highway workers to change the recording, but that task was never carried out, Vial said. A report will be released in February based on Jan. 8 discussions with other agencies that responded to the pass closure, Vial said. The American Red Cross, Jackson County sheriff’s deputies, fire and rescue crews, and emergency dispatchers all played a vital role in the event, Vial added. While ODOT staffs the pass 24 hours a day during the winter, many drivers fail to carry chains, required by state law in winter snow zones, Vial said. "It doesn’t matter what we do, if people are unprepared, we’re going to have problems," he said. The majority of travelers over the Siskiyou Pass south of Ashland did not have chains, causing many cars to spin out, Vial said. Even when highway workers steered cars back onto the road, most still couldn’t maneuver off the mountain, Vial said. A high volume of holiday traffic worsened the scenario, Vial said. Approximately 27,600 vehicles traversed the pass on Saturday, Dec. 27, Vial said. More likely made the trip the following day when ODOT closed the route at 7:30 p.m., Vial said. Many travelers were stranded overnight in their vehicles or in emergency shelters. A typical Saturday in December sees about 17,000 vehicles on the pass, Vial added. Reach reporter Sarah Lemon at 776-4487, or e-mail [email protected] Mail Tribune Home Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life Opinion - Politics | AP News | Archives | Site Map E Southern Oregon | Classified Copyright © 1997-2004 Mail Tribune. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions Website Feedback 3 WEEKS FREE! ADVERTISERS A D V E R T I S E R S RESOURCES Oregon Road Conditions & Cams SPECIAL SECTIONS Auto Finder Job Finder Home Finder Joy Magazine Homelife Magazine Tempo Readers' Choice Real Estate Showcase Since We Asked Food for Thought Wellness Connection Outdoor Journal Moving to Southern Oregon? Volunteer Opportunities Prime Times