CLE ELUM, Wash. — Westbound Interstate 90 is back open after crews finished demolishing the damaged Bullfrog Road overpass Friday evening.
“Crews worked nonstop overnight so we could reopen I-90 earlier than expected,” the Washington State Department of Transportation posted on X. “Our bridge engineers are designing a new [westbound] overpass.”
On Oct. 21, a truck driver struck an oversized load struck an overpass near Cle Elum and severely damaged the underside of the bridge. Photos from the scene showed metal splintering from the structure and debris covering the two westbound lanes of I-90.
Gov. Bob Ferguson issued an emergency proclamation on Thursday, allowing the state to obtain federal funding and enter an emergency contract to begin demolition and repairs quickly.
“Our first priority is getting westbound I-90 reopened,” Ferguson said.
The highway is Washington’s main route for traveling across the state, carrying approximately 17,000 westbound drivers daily.
An emergency contractor began demolishing the Bullfrog Road overpass on Thursday night.
The overpass repairs are expected to exceed $8 million, according to the governor’s proclamation. Ferguson said the involved trucking company would be held accountable.
The I-90 overpass damage is the third instance of truck drivers striking key infrastructure in Washington in the last three months. The White River Bridge near Enumclaw closed Aug. 18 after a semi-truck crashed into the bridge and damaged the structure; it reopened on Oct. 16.
About a month later, three northbound lanes of state Route 167 were closed after a vehicle struck supports under a bridge on Sept. 23.
The Washington Trucking Association said it is increasing its safety trainings as a result of the incident. While human error cannot be fully prevented, WTA president and CEO Sheri Call said all efforts must be made to mitigate the errors.
“Safety remains our top priority, for both truck drivers and the traveling public. Our association invests significant resources in providing the very best training available to provide best practices for truckers, including those in the heavy haul industry,” Call said in a statement.
Call added that the WTA “works in tandem with the Washington State Patrol on training and enforcement, and we will be looking to develop even more resources to ensure drivers are prepared to operate safely.”
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