Highway 243

Weather Service issues flood advisory for Idyllwild and north

The National Weather Service issued a flood advisory for portions of Riverside County. The advisory was issued at 3 p.m. and covers the three-hour period until 6 p.m. Tuesday. Heavy rain and thunderstorms may occur along Highway 243 from Banning to Idyllwild and Interstate 10 between Beaumont and Cabazon. The storm may cause minor flooding…

Caltrans wins! Boulder loses.

“All lanes on SR 243 are open,” Cal Trans Public Information Officer Terri Kasinga announced Wednesday night about 6:30 p.m. After battling a 48-ton boulder since Monday, Caltrans has chipped enough of the boulder to be able to move it off the highway lane. As a precaution for motorists, cones have been placed around boulder….

A passage between Pine Cove and Idyllwild may be available; but 4-wheel drive needed and some local residents object that non-resident users are trespassers

According to one Lakeview Drive resident who contacted the Town Crier, a bypass between Idyllwild and Pine Cove is available but she strongly encourages users to have 4-wheel drive or all-wheel drive vehicles, since two-wheel drive vehicles have gotten stuck in the snow several times today. But some other Lakeview Drive residents object to the…

Snow arrived, plenty of it, Idyllwild still open

The National Weather Service’s Wiinter Storm Warning is still applicable to the Hill. The NWS is forecasting light snow to continue through today, Thursday, Jan. 7. Several power outages have occurred overnight. The one affecting Fern Valley and upper N. Circle appears to be over. Southern California Edison is still working to restore power to…

Fatalities motivate push for Safety Corridor designation

In response to increased crashes and fatalities on highways 74 and 243, the California Highway Patrol is seeking funding and intergovernmental agency cooperation to designate those highways as State Safety Corridors. CHP Public Information Officer Darren Meyer said his agency has begun the process to classify the two mountain highways as SSCs. Terri Kasinga, Caltrans…