Stuck tour bus closes Trinity Road for hours

Trinity Road was shut for more than four hours Saturday after a tour bus got stuck on one of its hairpin turns.

The narrow, winding road between Sonoma and Napa counties was blocked from about 3 to 7:30 p.m., according to the Napa unit of the CHP.

The rear axles became stuck on the ground while the bus was headed downhill on a tight turn. All passengers were able to get off the bus safely, but the driver couldn’t maneuver the vehicle.

It took two tow trucks, one on either end of the bus, to free it. One of the tow trucks had to take a circuitous route from Napa County to Glen Ellen to make it to the west side of the bus.

Stuck buses and big-rigs used to be a rarity on the narrow road. But modern GPS units often direct drivers to take Trinity as the fastest way to move between the two counties. Officials last summer said the problem was occurring about once a month - with two in two days in August, including one huge moving van that blocked the paths of three fire engines heading toward a fire.

Two new signs costing $10,000 were posted in July on either end of Trinity Road to warn big-rigs they are prohibited from using the route.

It wasn’t immediately known what company was operating the tour bus or how many passengers were on board Saturday.

Staff Writer Lori A. Carter contributed to this report.