sections near reoccurring rock slides have become narrow dirt roads which are not suitable for passenger vehicles. According to Caltrans officials, it will take three years to complete the repairs. People heading to nearby Mount Waterman must instead travel west to Pasadena and join SR 2 in La Cañada Flintridge - a nearly two-hour trip. Reopening SR 39 would cut the drive-time to the Waterman ski area in half and shorten the trip east to Wrightwood. The segment was opened to emergency crews in February 2003 after a Caltrans study showed reopening it would not harm wetlands, air and water quality, natural vegetation or threatened plants and animals. On July 10, 2006, the Pasadena Star-News reported that the state provided funding for an Environmental Impact Report (EIR) in June 2006 to assess the feasibility of reopening the highway in the Angeles National Forest. According to the Caltrans District Seven "Inside Seven" newsletter, work was to continue through 2009 and 2010 on reconstruction and installation of features to prevent future slides from damaging the roadway: However, due to budgetary issues, by 2012 Caltrans was instead trying to transfer responsibility for the entirety of SR 39 north of postmile LA 17.81 (including the closed section) to either the U.S. Forest Service or Los Angeles County, both of which declined, also for financial reasons, even though both the USFS and the county deem the route "essential". Abandoning the route would also not be cost-effective for Caltrans due, among other reasons, to federal environmental restoration requirements related to the presence of bighorn sheep. The proposal was abandoned after opposition by local residents and the county, as well as substantial legal pressure by the Forest Service, who threatened to enforce an old contract that requires Caltrans to completely deconstruct the highway should it refuse to maintain it. There are proposals to move the closed gate north two miles to a popular trailhead. On December 15, 2022, Caltrans held a meeting to consider several proposed plans to reopen SR 39. Proposals include a full restoration, minimal restoration for emergency services, a single-lane road, or recreational use. Under the recreational use proposal, the restored route would be closed to general traffic, but would allow for hiking, biking, and other recreational activities. Major intersections See also References External links California @ AARoads.com - State Route 39 Caltrans: Route 39 highway conditions California Highways: SR 39 Michael Ballard on