Repairs to the portion of Highway 38 in the San Bernardino Mountains wiped out by an intense storm should begin soon, although there is no timetable for the key link to and from Big Bear to reopen, Caltrans said Monday, Sept. 22.
Meanwhile, roads covered by mud in Oak Glen were expected to reopen this week.
A debris flow from Thursday night’s storm took out a portion of Highway 38 west of Jenks Lake. Caltrans has already agreed to an emergency contract with a construction company, spokesman Eric Dionne said.
On the south, the Highway 38 closure has been changed to Angelus Oaks from Forest Falls. The road remains shut down at Lake Williams Drive to the north.
Monica Moncada, who operates The Oaks restaurant in Angelus Oaks, is hopeful that the restaurant can stay open.
“I’ve been very sad these past few days and very worried,” Moncada said in a Facebook post. “Not going to lie. But not sad enough to not notice every single one of you that comes through our doors. Thank you! I feel very lucky and very blessed to be part of this little community.”
The location where Oak Glen Road was inundated by mud and debris — about a mile east of Casa Blanca Avenue to a quarter-mile north of Acorn Way — could reopen by Friday, weather permitting, San Bernardino County Public Works spokeswoman Amy Ledbetter said.
The farms where the public can pick apples can be accessed from the southeast via Wildwood Canyon Road or from Beaumont, according to the Oak Glen Apple Growers Association.
Alison Law-Mathisen, who co-owns Moms Apple Orchards with Yvette Birdsall, said business was slow last weekend.
“Nobody knew you could get there,” Law-Mathisen said Monday.
She said officials in Yucaipa told her that their work on the roads could be completed in a couple of days, while the county’s work could take slightly longer.
“The sooner the better,” Law-Mathisen said.
The owners of the Oak Glen Steakhouse & Saloon expect to open in time for a Halloween event on Oct. 18 that will include food and a costume contest, they said in a Facebook post.
“For the safety of our guests and staff, the Oak Glen Steakhouse will be closed until it’s safe to return. Thank you for your patience, support, and understanding,” a post said.
Despite the roaring water and damage, no serious injuries or missing people were reported, said engineer Ryan Beckers, a spokesman for the San Bernardino County Fire Department.
The department has completed its damage assessment, Beckers said Monday.
In all, 14 residences, one business and four outbuildings were damaged. Of those, three homes were destroyed when the rainfall raced through the El Dorado fire burn scars in Forest Falls, Oak Glen and elsewhere.
“The one thing we always talk about when we have a fire is that we have tools to affect it so it can be diminished,” Beckers said. “A landslide or debris flow or mudslide, it’s on its own timetable. It’s got such force and energy behind it, it decides when it starts and stops. It can be frightening and overwhelming. It’s not unlike a tornado.”
Beckers urged residents and business owners to heed evacuation and flood warnings and to visit the website sbcfire.org for information on storm preparation.
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