Highway 101 lanes reopen after flooding

SAN JOSE, Calif. (KTVU) - U.S. Highway 101 in San Jose has reopened in both directions after being closed overnight due to flooding, according to the California Highway Patrol.

The highway was closed in both directions between Interstate Highway 880 and the Interstate Highway 280 and Interstate Highway 680 interchange at about 10:45 p.m. Tuesday after a day that large areas of San Jose were flooded from the Coyote Creek.

Northbound lanes reopened at about 8:30 a.m., but the southbound lanes remained closed. As of about 10:30 a.m., all lanes had reopened, CHP officials said.

The city ordered evacuations for hundreds of homes across the city as the waters rose. Firefighters were deployed on boats to rescue residents stranded in the polluted floodwater.

San Jose Mayor  Sam Liccardo said the city failed to properly communicate with residents who were forced to evacuate their homes when floodwaters from a creek quickly spilled into streets during heavy rains. 

City officials ordered more than 14,000 residents to leave their homes early Wednesday as water flooded homes and shut down a portion of a major freeway. 

 Some people said they got their first notice with a knock on their door from a firefighter in a boat.

Lccardo said at a news conference that there is no question the city needs to improve communication in the future.