Bay Area Highway Closure Stumps Google Maps And Befuddles Drivers

SARATOGA, CA — A two-mile stretch of State Route 9 closed Monday and will not reopen until November, sending drivers headed to and from several mountain communities on the hunt for alternate routes.

The 35-mile scenic highway connects Santa Cruz and Los Gatos through the mountains, and the daytime closure will be in place until Nov. 1 between Sanborn Road and Redwood Gulch Road in Saratoga. According to Caltrans, crews will spend the month removing fallen trees and other debris, cleaning drainage systems and fully regrading the slope before winter arrives.

As the SF Gate reports, the highway is no stranger to closures during the wet months, including a mudslide that impacted travel in the same area in February and multiple slides and sinkholes that scuttled travel early last year.

But early on, the latest extended closure has proven to be a headache for visitors and local businesses alike.

The owner of Saratoga Springs, a popular wedding venue and events space, told SF Gate that confusing signage made some think the facility was inaccessible while others said the closure made their navigation apps go haywire and suggest "crazy ways to get places."

Caltrans recommends drivers rely on posted detour routes and allow a little extra time for their trips. The closures will remain in place Monday through Saturday from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. until Nov. 1.