Highway 50 Temporarily Reopened Monday, Full Reopening Expected Tuesday
EL DORADO COUNTY (CBS13) - Highway 50 opened temporarily between Kyburz and Meyers Monday to just property owners and delivery drivers.
It was the first time in a month the highway reopened since the Caldor Fire raged nearby.
"Kind of not really knowing what's going on up there," said Darin Pointer who lives in Echo Lake. "It's going to be good to finally be able to go home."
He moved to the area about six months ago, but the past several weeks have felt nothing like home.
"Been staying in hotels, stayed in my car a few times got to do what you got to do," he explained.
The closure of Highway 50 caused long detours which was a huge blow to delivery trucks and local commerce.
"On the business side of things, we definitely took a hit," said Martha Borges, manager of Chevron in Fresh Pond.
Borges felt the impact and says she wasn't able to get certain deliveries due to the closure and is still dealing with the burden.
"And I have one order that comes from Reno that I still can't get in and then on the other side of it we are slow enough that we don't need them," she explained.
But with the full reopening of Highway 50 to all motorists set for Tuesday, Martha is hopeful the flow of business will quickly return.
"We are expecting a lot of traffic," she said.
She'll be keeping people who lost everything, in the back of her mind.
"I've told all my staff, 'just remember that in your heart, remember how you felt when you left because a lot of people are going to go home and not have a home,'" she said.
CBS13 is looking into the total revenue cost due to the closure.
The full reopening of Highway 50 is scheduled for Tuesday at 8 am.