Highway Patrol to Investigate Freeway Spills

Officials are trying to figure out what is spilling on freeway transition roads in the northeast San Fernando Valley.

At least 15 times over the past three weeks the transition roads linking the Ronald Reagan Freeway with the Golden State and San Diego freeways have been covered with an unknown slippery substance blamed in several minor accidents, the California Highway Patrol said.

The substance has been sent to a lab for identification, and the CHP plans to post patrols on the roads during early morning hours, when the mysterious spills are occurring, CHP spokeswoman Wendy Moore said.

Moore said investigators do not believe the spills are acts of sabotage. They also believe, she said, the substance may be accidental sloshing from a truck that uses the roads regularly.

“Those transition roads have wide sweeping curves--they’re banked,” she said.

“Maybe the vehicle is starting out in that general area, and [the Golden State Freeway connector is] the first curve it takes. Maybe it’s full of something and sloshing. Maybe one day it takes the 405 and one day it takes the 5,” Moore said.

Preliminary tests of the substance led investigators to believe it is not toxic, she said.