I-5 Shuts for Marine Artillery Fire Amid Safety Debate

Southern California commuters faced significant disruption Saturday as a crucial stretch of Interstate 5 was temporarily closed to facilitate a U.S. Marine Corps 250th-anniversary celebration, which controversially included the firing of live 155mm artillery shells over the busy freeway. The unprecedented shutdown near Camp Pendleton ignited a heated debate between federal military operations and state public safety concerns.

Major Freeway Artery Halted for Military Display

The California Highway Patrol (CHP) initiated the closure of approximately 17 miles (27 km) of I-5, a vital north-south transportation corridor, effective from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. local time. The decision, announced at 6 a.m. Saturday, impacted the freeway segment adjacent to Camp Pendleton, a sprawling 125,000-acre (50,585-hectare) base situated in Oceanside, within north-western San Diego County.

According to the CHP, the temporary cessation of traffic was a direct response to the military’s plans for “live ammunition being discharged by the federal government over the freeway.” Authorities cited both the inherent safety risks and the potential for severe driver distraction as primary reasons for

Source: The Guardian