Caltrans Closing Bore of Caldecott Tunnel for Drill Friday Night

Caltrans is holding its annual mandatory emergency response drill starting Friday night in the Caldecott Tunnel on state Highway 24 between Orinda and Oakland, agency officials said. The drill will take place in the westbound fourth bore from 10 p.m. Friday to 4 a.m. Saturday.

All westbound traffic will be routed to the third bore, also westbound, and motorists should expect delays westbound during the drill, Caltrans officials said. Both eastbound bores will be open during the night. Emergency responders from a variety of agencies will be responding during the night to a simulated crash including fire and smoke.

The agencies include the California Highway Patrol, Oakland Fire Department, Moraga-Orinda Fire District and the Caltrans-Tunnels & Tubes Department.

“It is a live event,” Caltran spokesman Vince Jacala said. It is the first time a drill has been held in the fourth bore since it opened Nov. 13, 2013. Caltrans held a drill there just before the bore opened. Jacala said Caltrans is required by the Office of the State Fire Marshal to hold a drill each year in one of the bores. The selection of the bore is made each year. The drills allow Caltrans and agencies that would normally respond to an emergency to coordinate their efforts and evaluate their response to an emergency.

The drills also allow Caltrans to test the technology in the tunnel. Caltrans has equipment to monitor tunnel traffic, fans in the tunnel to clear it of smoke, fire hydrants, call boxes and escape passages.

By Bay City News

Photo courtesy Shutterstock

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