Sonora, CA — The coming weekend is the traditional kickoff to the busy travel season, so traffic is anticipated to be very heavy at times in the Mother Lode.
Sonora Area CHP Officer Faustino Pulido reports that all available officers will on the road during a Maximum Enforcement Period that runs from 6pm Friday through late Monday evening. Pulido notes that visitor traffic will likely gradually increase today, Friday and into Saturday. Then there is typically a mass exit on Monday. The CHP is planning to have officers assisting with traffic on Monday at the Highway 120 Yosemite Junction, as it is expected to be very congested. The best bet for traveling is either during the morning or evening hours.
During the Maximum Enforcement Period, the CHP will also be looking for speeding vehicles, seat belt violators and distracted drivers (cell phones). Statewide, in 2016, 39 people died in collisions during the Memorial Day weekend Maximum Enforcement Period. Two-thirds of those killed were not wearing seatbelts, according to the CHP.
Written by BJ Hansen.
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