405 Freeway Reopens Following Plane Crash: Update

LAKE FOREST, CA — The Sand Diego (405) Freeway, one of the busiest freeways in the world, was at a standstill on Friday heading into the 4th of July travel weekend because of a plane crash.

Initial estimates of the closure state the southbound 405 Freeway will be shut down for investigations until 11 p.m. Friday night, a California Highway Patrol spokesperson reported. However, the freeway was fully reopened by 6 p.m.

A small plane that crash landed on the 405 southbound, near MacArthur boulevard, just before the runway has caused a traffic nightmare for anyone out on the roadways.

Read the full story here: Plane Crash Near John Wayne Airport On 405 Freeway, Major Injuries Reported: WATCH LIVE

The long-term closure's bright red footprint reached far beyond the roadways around John Wayne Airport. Drivers seeking alternate travel on the 73, 55 or 5 freeways ran into slowing, stoppages, and follow-up collisions due to the slow down.

As of 12:30 p.m. the 5 Freeway southbound lanes are backed up past the 22, and the 22 eastbound lanes are also significant slowing past Harbor Boulevard.

Surface streets weren't much better options for drivers seeking to get out of the traffic that way.

Drivers seeking access to John Wayne Airport were asked to arrive several hours before their scheduled flight.

"Anyone headed to the airport today needs to find a route other than the 405," John Wayne Airport spokesperson Deanne Thompson said Friday morning. "It's really a mess, and it's a terrible shame."