UPDATE (10:55 a.m.) - The road had reopened to traffic by 10:26 a.m., Caltrans officials said on Wednesday morning.
State Route 166 between Thompson Road near Santa Maria and Perkins Road near New Cuyama is now open following a closure early this morning due to icy conditions.@CaltransD5 https://t.co/3LbBe8so71
— Jim Shivers (@PIOJimShivers) December 15, 2021
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UPDATE (9:14 a.m.) - Just before 9 a.m., a spokesperson with the Santa Maria CHP told KSBY that the road is expected to open soon.
Department of Transportation officials were at work sanding bridges along the icy highway.
When sections of the road freeze, officials place sand in the road to create added traction and protect drivers from slick highways.
Jim Shivers, Caltrans District 5 Public Information Officer, said that ice in the road may be an occasional problem on the Central Coast through January or February.
He said that Hwy 101 near Santa Margarita, north of the Cuesta Pass, can be another area of concern.
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A portion of eastbound Hwy 166 has been closed due to icy conditions Wednesday morning, officials say.
CHP issued a SIG Alert for the area at about 6:20 a.m. The closure stretches from the Thompson Rd. intersection near Santa Maria to the Perkins Rd. intersection near New Cuyama.
There is no current estimate for reopening, Caltrans District 5 said in a tweet.
This is a developing story. Check back here for updates.
