Following the bombing at Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul, flowers are shown placed at the main gate to Camp Pendleton in Oceanside, August 27, 2021. REUTERS/Mike Blake
The California Highway Patrol reports that a section of Interstate 5 in San Diego — from Harbor Drive to Basilone Road in Oceanside — will be closed from about 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday for a military event at Camp Pendleton involving the federal government discharging live ammunition over the freeway.
Gov. Gavin Newsom stated in a news release that ensuring public safety during the live fire demonstration at Camp Pendleton, after the federal government early Saturday confirmed with state and local authorities that the event would occur.
“The President is putting his ego over responsibility with this disregard for public safety. Firing live rounds over a busy highway isn’t just wrong — it’s dangerous. Using our military to intimidate people you disagree with isn’t strength — it’s reckless, it’s disrespectful, and it’s beneath the office he holds. Law and order? This is chaos and confusion.
“In California, we are proud to honor our military and the sacrifices they continue to make for our country. As we all recognize the 250th anniversary of the Armed Forces, let us remember the guiding principles upon which our founding fathers built this great nation and hold dearly those inherent rights that we all share.”
The state was recently informed that the White House intended to hold a major event between Friday, Oct. 17, and Saturday, Oct. 18, at Camp Pendleton that involved firing live artillery rounds over the I-5 freeway. Newsom condemned what he called an “absurd show of force.”
On Thursday, Oct. 16, the U.S. Marine Corps confirmed its exercise would be conducted on its training ranges, as it routinely does, but not over the freeway. That afternoon, the federal government also directed the cancellation of train services running parallel to I-5 between Orange and San Diego counties on Saturday.
Late on Friday, the state received notice from event organizers asking for Caltrans signage to be posted along the I-5 freeway reading: “Overhead fire in progress.”
Also on Friday, state officials near Camp Pendleton observed live munitions being fired near the freeway in what appeared to be a practice run.
Early Saturday morning, after the state again inquired for details, the federal government informed officials that live fire activities had been scheduled for 1:30 p.m. Saturday.
Due to extreme life-safety risks and potential distractions to drivers — including sudden, unexpected, and loud explosions — a section of I-5 will be closed for a period on Saturday, Oct. 18. The closure comes at the recommendation of traffic safety experts at the California Highway Patrol.
I-5 is a critical economic corridor for Southern California, carrying more than 80,000 travelers and moving $94 million in freight daily between San Diego and Orange counties. Just north of Oceanside, over 65,000 vehicles cross county lines each day, half of them for work. Officials estimate $8.2 million in daily visitor spending could be lost due to the closure, along with delays for thousands of truck shipments relying on uninterrupted access.
Drivers should expect significant delays on Interstate 5 and other regional routes before, during, and after the event. Travelers are encouraged to check real-time traffic conditions at quickmap.dot.ca.gov before heading through the area.
City News contributed to this report
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