Officials: 405 is best way to avoid backup on 5 and 710 freeways

Motorists seeking to avoid traffic-tie ups at the 5- and 710-freeway interchange after a fatal accident at a construction site early Saturday are advised to use the northbound 405 Freeway, if possible.

A motorist plowed into an overpass construction site on the northbound 5 Freeway in the city of Commerce about 2 a.m., killing the driver and injuring the passenger. The Dodge Magnum slammed into temporary supports for a 710 Freeway bridge-widening project.

The accident resulted in the shutdown of a portion of the northbound 5 Freeway north of Atlantic Boulevard as well as the closure of all but the No. 1 lane of the northbound 710 Freeway. Caltrans said all lanes of the northbound 710 are now open and the northbound 5 will open around 9 p.m.

“It’s, like, right in the center of everything,” CHP Officer Peter Bishop said of the crash site. “It’s backing up everywhere.”

As of mid-afternoon, the northbound 5 was backed up for several miles, at least to the 605 Freeway, which was also jammed, Bishop said. “A lot of people are diverting to the 605. [The] 110 is backed up as well.”

The best option for northbound travelers remains the 405 Freeway, he said. Meanwhile, the southbound 5 was not affected by the crash, and traffic there was flowing fairly well.

Twitter: @MarthaGroves

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