City did not immediately ask Tunnel Partners for assistance with Hwy 99 gridlock

The semi-truck crash on Highway 99 that blocked southbound traffic for nine hours could have been cleared faster if city officials asked Seattle Tunnel Partners for help earlier. And the Highway 99 tunnel contractor said it would have been happy to help, The Seattle Times reports.

Seattle Tunnel Partners, which was working nearby when the crash occurred March 24, would have used its equipment to help clear the crash earlier in the day, the Times reports. However, the contractor was not asked for assistance until after 7 p.m. The crash occurred around 2:30 p.m.

Seattle Police Detective Drew Fowler said the proper contractors were called immediately after the truck rolled.

Related: Why it took 9 hours to clean up overturned truck on Hwy 99 in Seattle

Lincoln Towing was dispatched to the scene and righted the truck’s trailer full of frozen fish at approximately 7 p.m. However, the trailer was too damaged to be pulled away by another truck and crews had to offload fish before moving it.

“[T]he truck fell diagonally crossing all three lanes and both shoulders. We weren’t able to reroute traffic. We had to simply close it down,” Fowler said.

The crash caused gridlock that stalled evening rush-hour traffic for hours. Traffic slowed on surface streets and Interstate 5 through Seattle. Some people stuck on buses decided to get off and walk. The Sounders game was delayed 20 minutes and there were reports that it was due to traffic delays.

The highway was cleared at approximately 11:30 p.m.
Mayor Ed Murray and Seattle Department of Transportation Director Scott Kubly said pulling the truck’s cargo off the highway could have damaged the road and/or broken the trailer, the Times reports.

The city will conduct a review of how the crash was handled.