Traffic sucks. Honestly, if you live anywhere near Long Beach or East LA, you already know that the 710 is basically a coin toss on whether you'll get to work on time or spend forty minutes staring at the bumper of a 2014 Honda Civic. But today was different. The 710 north accident today wasn't just your standard "fender bender during rush hour" situation; it turned into a complete logistical nightmare that rippled through the entire 5 and 60 interchanges. People were literally turning off their engines. You've probably seen the helicopters hovering over the Atlantic Boulevard exit by now, and if you were caught in that mess, you know exactly how frustrating it can be when one single moment on the asphalt paralyzes an entire region of Southern California.
What actually happened on the 710 North this morning?
Early reports from the California Highway Patrol (CHP) indicate that the trouble started near the transition to the 60 Freeway. It involved a multi-vehicle collision that, unfortunately, included a large commercial truck. When a big rig gets sideways on the 710, it's game over for the lane count. Because the 710 is a primary artery for freight coming out of the Port of Long Beach, any incident involving heavy machinery requires specialized recovery equipment. You can't just tow a semi with a standard flatbed.
The lanes were blocked for hours. CHP issued a SigAlert almost immediately.
What made this specific incident so much worse than the usual Tuesday crawl was the timing. It hit right at the peak of the morning commute—around 7:45 AM. If it happens at 10:00 AM, it's a nuisance. If it happens before 8:00 AM, it destroys the schedule for every school drop-off, shift change, and morning meeting within a five-mile radius. Emergency crews had to navigate through the already-stalled traffic just to reach the scene, which added another layer of delay. Basically, it was a perfect storm of bad timing and tight geography.
Why the 710 is such a magnet for these wrecks
Let's be real: the 710 is an aging piece of infrastructure. It was built decades ago, and it simply wasn't designed to handle the sheer volume of "TEUs" (twenty-foot equivalent units) that come off the ships every single day. The pavement is chewed up. The lanes are narrow.
The "Truck Alley" problem
Trucks make up a massive percentage of the traffic on this route. When you mix heavy-duty logistics with impatient commuters in passenger cars, the physics just don't play nice. A loaded truck can take the length of a football field to stop. When a car cuts off a truck to make a last-second exit toward Valley Boulevard, things go south fast.
The interchange complexity
The 710 North is a maze. Between the 105, the 91, the 5, and the 60, drivers are constantly weaving. This "weaving" behavior is statistically where most accidents occur. Today's mess happened right in one of those high-pressure zones where people are trying to figure out which lane goes to East LA and which one heads toward Pasadena.
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The ripple effect on surface streets
When the 710 north accident today hit the news, everyone did the same thing: they opened Google Maps or Waze. Then, like a colony of ants being diverted, thousands of cars flooded into Atlantic Boulevard, Garfield Avenue, and Eastern Avenue.
It was a mess.
Bell, Commerce, and Monterey Park basically became parking lots. This is the part of a freeway closure that most people forget about—the local impact. Small businesses lose customers because people can't pull into the parking lots. Local residents can't get out of their driveways. It’s not just about the people on the freeway; it’s about the entire ecosystem of the neighborhood.
Dealing with the aftermath: Insurance and liability
If you were involved in this or a similar pile-up, things get legally murky very quickly. California is a "comparative negligence" state. This means that if three cars are involved, the police and insurance adjusters have to figure out the percentage of fault for every single driver.
- The Lead Vehicle: Did they slam on their brakes for no reason?
- The Middle Vehicle: Did they follow too closely?
- The Rear Vehicle: Were they distracted by a phone?
It’s rarely one person’s "fault" entirely in a multi-car chain reaction. If you're stuck in the middle of a legal claim from a freeway accident, you have to be careful about what you say to adjusters. They aren't your friends. They’re looking for any reason to say you were 10% responsible so they can shave 10% off your payout.
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Staying safe when the 710 turns into a parking lot
It sounds like common sense, but most people forget the basics when they’re frustrated. If you see brake lights a quarter-mile ahead, hit your hazards. It alerts the person behind you—who might be looking at their GPS—that a sudden stop is happening.
Also, space. Give yourself way more space than you think you need. On the 710, "space" is a luxury, but it's the only thing that saves you when a truck in front of you loses a tire or hits a bump.
Moving forward after today’s closure
The lanes are finally starting to clear up, but the "ghost traffic" will likely persist for another hour or two. That’s the phenomenon where traffic stays slow even after the wreck is gone because of the wave-like motion of cars accelerating and braking.
If you're still heading that way, honestly, just take the 110 or the 605 if you have the option. It'll add miles, but it might save your sanity.
Immediate steps for affected drivers
If your car was damaged or you're just now getting home after being stuck for three hours, here is what you should do:
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- Check your dashcam footage: If you have one, save that footage now. It gets overwritten quickly, and it's the only objective witness you have.
- Monitor your health: Adrenaline hides pain. If your neck feels stiff tonight or tomorrow morning, don't just "walk it off." Whiplash is real and it's a slow burner.
- Verify the CHP report: You can usually find the incident number on the CHP Traffic Incident Information Page. This is vital for any insurance claims.
- Plan for tomorrow: The 710 is undergoing various "corridor improvements," but that often means lane shifts and temporary barriers. Check the Caltrans District 7 Twitter (X) feed before you leave the house in the morning.
The reality is that the 710 north accident today is a symptom of a much larger problem with Southern California's infrastructure. Until the long-discussed freight corridor improvements are fully realized, this stretch of road will remain one of the most volatile paths in the country. Stay alert, stay patient, and maybe keep an extra bottle of water in the car. You never know when a twenty-minute drive is going to turn into a two-hour ordeal.