Caltrans says Highway 17 is too unstable

Officials are in disagreement over whether it is safe to clear a landslide in the Santa Cruz Mountains Friday morning, according to the California Highway Patrol.

State Highway 17 is closed in both directions between Scotts Valley and the Santa Clara County line.

While personnel from the California Division of Occupational Safety and Health approved work to continue, a Caltrans engineer said that it was too unsafe to start work on the unstable hill.

Crews will be tracking movement in the area into the afternoon and will reevaluate the situation, CHP Officer Trista Drake said.

A work truck hit two workers clearing the landslide between Vine Hill and Sugarloaf roads on Thursday afternoon, killing one of them.