A portion of Interstate 5 will be closed for an event at Camp Pendleton attended by Vice President J.D. Vance on Saturday, despite reports earlier this week that it would not be closed.
California Highway Patrol officials Announced Saturday morning at 6am The closure will be in effect from Basilone Road — a ramp up to Camp Pendleton — and Harbor Drive in Oceanside.
CHP advised that approximately 17 miles of road will be closed between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m.
The event is a military celebration marking the 250th anniversary of the United States Marine Corpsy birthday. The ceremonies included a live-fire amphibious capabilities demonstration at Red Beach, according to a US Marine Corps media release. Vice President Vance is also scheduled to speak.
“The capabilities demonstration will include integrated Navy and Marine Corps operations across air, land and sea,” the statement said.
The statement also indicated that “there are no public roads or transportation routes [would be] Closed,” but Caltrans told KTLA on Thursday that they had been informed of a possible plan to close the highway despite being warned about it.
In addition to the expressway, local train services will also be affected by the celebration.
California Governor Gavin Newsom was quick to criticize federal leaders for their decision to close a critical stretch of Interstate 5 between Orange County and North San Diego County, calling the event a “show of ego” in Posted on social media on Wednesday.
“Put your bragging rights aside and pay our troops instead,” he said.
Late Friday night, it is Double the criticism.
“This is an absolutely ridiculous show of force that could put Californians directly in harm’s way,” Newsom said of the plan to fire live artillery onto the highway. “Firing live ammunition over a busy highway without coordination between state, federal and local partners is not only wrong – it is dangerous.”
The event will take place as thousands are expected to gather at “No Kings” rallies across the country, including Southern California.
J.D. Vance has Many ties to the Marine Corps and the San Diego areaHe served as a combat correspondent in the Marine Corps for four years and was deployed to Iraq. Additionally, Vance’s wife, Osha, grew up in the Rancho Peñasquitos community, and her family is rooted in San Diego’s academic community; Her mother, Lakshmi Chilukuri, is the dean of Sixth Form at the University of California-San Diego while her father, Krish Chilukuri, is an aerospace engineer and lecturer at San Diego State University.
Camp Pendleton is one of the Marine Corps’ most important training bases, having trained hundreds of thousands of Marines since its establishment in 1942. The base remains a vital center for amphibious and expeditionary training and operations.