New I-80 mudslides occur as crews work to stabilize area near Baxter

The California Department of Transportation was still working to stabilize hillsides in the Baxter area late Monday afternoon.

After intermittent closures due to mudslides throughout the afternoon, Caltrans reported shortly before 5 p.m. that a slide was again blocking both westbound lanes, prompting closure of westbound I-80 at Highway 20. Eastbound lanes remained open.

The California Department of Transportation reported about 2:30 p.m. Monday that mud and debris slid across westbound I-80, blocking both lanes. But around 2:45 p.m., Caltrans said on Twitter that one lane remained open westbound through the Baxter area.

On Facebook, the Truckee CHP office said, “Caltrans had a ton of equipment in the area and was able to clear a lane quickly.”

The Baxter area was the site of a mudslide Friday morning that closed traffic in both directions into the night. While eastbound lanes reopened around midnight, westbound lanes did not open until about 12:30 p.m. on Saturday.

Highway 50 remains “indefinitely closed” because of several mudslides that have been difficult to clear.

This story was originally published February 13, 2017 at 2:45 PM with the headline "New I-80 mudslides occur as crews work to stabilize area near Baxter."