Vasquez Canyon Road closed near Santa Clarita after landslide causes buckling

A popular road used by residents and cyclists near Santa Clarita was closed Friday after a landslide caused severe buckling of the soil and pavement.

The buckling was first spotted Thursday on a 150- to 200-feet stretch of road, which prompted the closure of Vasquez Canyon Road between Lost Creek Road and Vasquez Way.

“The land is still moving,” said Steven Frasher of the Los Angeles County Department of Public Works.

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A popular road used by residents and cyclists near Santa Clarita was closed Friday after a landslide caused severe buckling of the soil and pavement.

Engineers and geologists were examining the road to determine what was causing it to crack and move, he said.

The hillside slipped but instead of spilling over the road, it went under the pavement, Frasher said. Now the road is growing upward and expanding.

Frasher said there is no way to stop the soil movement, so for now geologists and engineers are just watching the ground and hoping it stops growing.

The road will be closed until further notice. Santa Clarita residents who use Vasquez Canyon Road were advised to use Sierra Highway as an alternative route.

Small landslides are not unusual in the area. But the large size of this type of buckling is “truly unusual,” Frasher said.

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