With Highway 50 closed, Sheriff tells drivers: Do not go by your GPS!

With the closure of Hwy 50 due to a mudslide, several motorists have taken to their GPS units to try to navigate around the closure. This has led to numerous parties getting stuck on roads that are closed during the winter, and in the end, has tied up valuable resources rescuing them from deep snow or impassable roads.

In the winter, the only safe alternate route when Hwy 50 is closed is to use SR88 to the South, or I80 to the North. You can take Hwy 49 in Placerville to reach either one. At this time though, both alternative routes are closed.

Any other road on your GPS is probably wrong! If you are using any other road that you are not absolutely familiar with and you see snow on the roadway, or the road turns to dirt; stop, turn around, and go back to main roadway.

The main roads to avoid are Mormon Emigrant Trail, Wentworth Springs Road, White Meadows Road, Wright’s Lake Road and Silver Fork Road. These roads are usually impassable during the winter, and that is definitely the case this year.

Note that County Road E16 is closed to through traffic in the Somerset area due to storm damage and will remain closed for several months.

Be safe and stay on the main roads that are maintained by the El Dorado County Dept. of Transportation ot by Caltrans.