Rain pounds Santa Cruz Mountains

SANTA CRUZ, Calif. (KGO) -- The rain pounded the South Bay Thursday, especially in the Santa Cruz Mountains.

It always makes for a treacherous ride up and down Highway 17 which was hit with mudslides earlier this year.

Those who drive Highway 17 regularly know the dangers of the Santa Cruz Mountains

"I'm scared I'm going to get hit by a landslide or by a tree," said Sunshine Vasquez. The Prunedale uses 17 to commute to her job at the Summit House Restaurant along the highway.

Our own ABC7 news photographer was hit by a mudslide earlier this year on 17. A construction worker died doing repair work on that slide. We revisited the area today and it appears it's holding up. Caltrans says crews stabilized the hillside. They're watching problem areas, but say slides can be unpredictable...it depends on the rain and wind.

"Right now it looks pretty good, but like I said in different sections maybe something happens, we don't know. You never know," said Pablo Hernandez, a maintenance supervisor with Caltrans.

Caltrans crews were along the road clearing debris and mud from the drains to prevent flooding. The rain was relentless for most of the day. It made for slick driving. The California Highway Patrol says people generally drive too fast when its wet.

"I just drove 40 miles an hour or 35 miles an hour. I just drove really slow and safe because you see crashes here all the time," said Vasquez.

All the more reason to slow down for the soggy conditions.

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