All lanes of I-90 reopened between Ellensburg, North Bend
Jan 19, 2017, 6:47 AM | Updated: Jan 20, 2017, 12:32 am
UPDATE:
WSDOT says all lanes of I-90 reopened before 6 p.m. on Thursday. Eastbound lanes reopened around 4 p.m.
—-Original story—-
I-90 remains closed for a nearly 80-mile stretch between Ellensburg and North Bend, but the Washington State Department of Transportation says conditions are improving.
Crews began clean-up efforts Thursday morning. That work included clearing dozens of trees that fell onto eastbound lanes, as well as clearing ice and snow.
“We are hoping to get the eastbound lanes open by 4 p.m. [Thursday] and at that time we will evaluate the westbound lanes to determine if we can reopen later this evening,” a message from the state reads.
The highway has been closed for more than a day because of unstable conditions caused by ice, snow, and downed trees.
Related: Seattle weather about to take a change toward ‘typical’
Check current traffic conditions
The closure left several truckers parked in North Bend.
The Washington State Department of Transportation says that about 30 trees fell across I-90 on Wednesday and 12 more are threatening to fall. The hazardous conditions forced state workers and state troopers to leave.
Tom Pearce, spokesperson for WSDOT, says, “We’ve got trees down. Rocks on the road. A lot of snow … With [Wednesday’s] ice storm, it hasn’t been safe to have people out there.”
Check the traffic map before you go
Follow @https://twitter.com/mynorthwest
