Feds wrap up I-5 bridge collapse probe, replacement work speeding up

Federal investigators have wrapped up their probe at the scene of the I-5 Skagit River bridge crash, and work is well underway on a temporary fix.

The National Transportation Safety Board said investigators interviewed the driver of the pilot vehicle escorting the oversized truck over the bridge on Monday.

She was described as “very cooperative,” and said she saw the bridge collapse in her rearview mirror. Her account “did not reveal anything unusual or of significant interest to investigators,” the NTSB said in a statement.

With the NTSB leaving the site, Washington Department of Transportation crews can now complete the underwater demolition of the fallen bridge section and speed work on a temporary replacement.

“It’s like a giant erector set that’s being built and it’s really impressive how fast our crews are moving to get that structure built,” said WSDOT spokesman Bart Treece.

Treece said work remains on schedule to get the temporary bridge opened by mid-June.

The NTSB and State Patrol continues searching for the driver of a second tractor-trailer who crossed the bridge at the same time as the oversized load that caused the collapse.