Story and photos by Jason M. Jones

Traffic in and out of the Santa Clarita Valley remained snarled this week, in part due to the continued closure of Foothill Boulevard, stretching from its intersection at Sierra Highway to Balboa Boulevard in Sylmar.

As of 8:00 a.m. Wednesday, barriers were still in place at the intersection, while a traffic accident on southbound Interstate 5 (I-5) blocked multiple lanes and heavily impacted State Route 14 (SR-14), further adding to commuters’ frustrations.

The short stretch of roadway remains a vital link for commuters, as it is a commonly used alternative to heavy morning and afternoon rush hour traffic on the I-5 and SR-14 freeways. Despite the Saddleridge Fire having reach 97% containment as of Wednesday morning, Foothill Boulevard remains closed.

The road, which borders parts of the city of Los Angeles in Sylmar, unincorporated Los Angeles County and the city of Santa Clarita, falls under multiple jurisdictions. In phone calls made Tuesday to several agencies, including Los Angeles County Fire Department, Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station, California Highway Patrol (Newhall station), and Los Angeles County Department of Public Works (Public Works), officials were unaware of the road’s continued closure and were unsure as to the reason.

The road is listed as open on the Public Works website. Officials with the Los Angeles Department of Transportation (LADOT) indicated that the Saddleridge Fire was the reason for the continued closure at the direction of the Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD). However, officials at LAFD indicated there were no remaining road closures as a result of the fire. LADOT’s own website does not indicate the road is closed.