Just as the evening commute began, around 5 pm yesterday, boulders fell from the Elephant Butte Tunnel along Highway 70. The boulders, as wide as cars, blocked both lanes of traffic. Fortunately, there were no reports of vehicles in the tunnel when the rocks fell, avoiding any damage or injuries.
Caltrans crews immediately closed the portion of the highway near the Greenville wye.
The area remained closed until crews could inspect the tunnel as a safety precaution. Several hours later, the roadway was cleared and re-opened for traffic.
Photo shared to Social Media: Joshua Wallace
