California Street Detours Remain but Businesses Are Accessible

Update (4:50 p.m.) -- Detours remain in place on California Street where crews are working to repair a utility pole that was struck at about 3 p.m. today, but drivers can access businesses in the area.

Drivers traveling eastbound on California Street are being detoured at Chapel Street onto Watertown Street, Newton Police Public Information Officer Bruce Apotheker said. Westbound traffic is being detoured onto Allison Street and Los Angeles Street.

Vehicles can travel, however, to businesses in the detour area of California Street.

Update (3:55 p.m.) -- The Newton Police Department expects California Street will be closed for a couple of hours during rush hour as crews work to clear wires from the roadway.

Newton Police Public Information Officer Bruce Apotheker said a tractor trailer struck a utility pole near California Street and Los Angeles Street, shifting the pole and sending wires into the street.

Apotheker said Nstar needed to repair the pole, so California Street will remain closed for that work. He asked that drivers avoid the area as all traffic is being diverted to side streets.

Original post -- California Street was shut down in both directions as of about 3 p.m. Tuesday.

According to a tweet from the Newton Fire Department, a utility pole and wires were down in the street near Los Angeles Street, closing California Street in both directions.

Google maps indicated at 3:40 p.m. that California Street remained closed.