UDATE | JANUARY 12, 2016, 8PM
Just as the scene of a tanker truck rollover collision and resulting fuel spill was finally about to clear after a lengthy (nearly 12 hours) hazmat clean up, WSDOT announced that I-90 eastbound would remain closed for avalanche control which could last for another couple of hours.
So… all those semis waiting along I-90 from about Issaquah to the closure at milepost 34 near North Bend… it looks like more patience is needed. Hang in there drivers!
UPDATE | JANUARY 12, 2016, 3PM
The Washington State Department of Transportation stated the scheduled reopening of eastbound I-90 at milepost 34 in North Bend has been pushed back to 7PM at the earliest, explaining that due to the winter weather conditions (snow), crews are having trouble getting 20,000 gallons of fuel out of the tank that rolled during this morning’s accident.
What appeared to be hundreds of semi trucks were parked on the shoulder of I-90 (all the way back to milepost 25) awaiting the freeway’s reopening – and EB I-90 near exit 34 looked more like a parking lot than bustling roadway around 2:45PM.
ORIGINAL STORY
Our morning drive to middle school, Tuesday, January 12, 2016, coincided with a shutdown of eastbound I-90 at exit 34 (Truck Town) due to what the Washington State Patrol (WSP) described as a semi collision with a fuel spill.
Eastside Fire & Rescue (EF&R) vehicles and multiple WSP vehicles were on route to the accident scene by 7:45AM, streaming past us on the freeway.
According to a WSDOT, a tanker truck was involved in the collision, causing it to roll and spill fuel about six miles east of Truck Town near North Bend. Eastside Fire & Rescue stated via social media that it was a “non injury” incident.
WSP later said another vehicle was involved, hitting the truck and causing it to roll.
WSDOT expects eastbound 90 to reopen later this afternoon – probably around 4PM – as a EF&R hazmat team will need to do an extensive clean up of the spill and pump fuel out of the rolled tank.
The reopening of EB 90 over Snoqualmie Pass coincides winter a winter storm that is expected to impact the pass, with heavy snowfall rates predicted Tuesday night.
WSDOT suggests drivers use US 2 over Stevens Pass as an alternate while eastbound I-90 is closed.
