DEL MAR, Calif. (KGTV) - A City of Del Mar spokesperson said a busy road near the Del Mar Fairgrounds may remain closed due to a bluff collapse for months, possibly affecting traffic during the San Diego County Fair.
Part of the hillside above Jimmy Durante Boulevard slid onto the roadway Saturday night. Police shut down the northbound side of the street, which connects downtown Del Mar to Via de la Valle, and rerouted traffic to Highway 101 Monday afternoon.
Utility workers arrived Tuesday to trim branches after some trees slid down the bluff during the collapse.
Two homes on Seaview Avenue, including one under construction, are above the slide. Geologist Pat Abbott believes the project could have played a big role.
“There’s a price to pay for living on these beautiful cliffs above the ocean; part of it is, you don’t have a real stable lot,” said Abbott.
Other contributing factors including an intense rainy season, which Abbott said could lead to erosion. Ice plants that cover the hillside can also weigh down the soft soil.
Northbound Jimmy Durante Boulevard will remain closed until City of San Diego geotechnical engineers say it’s safe to reopen. Experts told 10News the situation is being evaluated but the closure could go on anywhere from a week to months.
The closure could potentially affect drivers taking a western approach to the San Diego County Fair, which opens May 31 and runs through July 4.
