CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. (KABC) -- A massive celebration at Camp Pendleton marking the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Marine Corps caused a significant roadblock on a major Southern California freeway on Saturday.

After a lot of back and forth this week, state transportation leaders ultimately decided that the busy 5 Freeway needed to be shut down near Camp Pendleton for several hours on Saturday for public safety reasons.

Traffic came to a standstill, and Amtrak train service was also stopped during a live-fire demonstration at the military base. The shutdown mainly caught travelers by surprise.

The California Highway Patrol closed a 17-mile stretch of the 5 Freeway in both directions for periods of time between San Clemente and Oceanside.

Eyewitness News Reporter Elena Gomez got stuck

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