Date:  Tuesday, December 04, 2007

Contact: Public Road Condition Inquiries: Call 5-1-1/ out of state callers call 1-800-695-ROAD (7623).

VANCOUVER – Interstate 5 remains closed in Lewis County today. I-5 is closed in the Chehalis area, between Grand Mound (milepost 88) and exit 68. The interstate is currently under approximately 10 feet of water and is expected to remain closed until Thursday or later.

The roads in Southwest Washington are left heavily impacted as rain continues to ravage the region, leaving many closures.

I-5 Detour
Be advised the detour route is approximately 440 miles and takes about seven hours in good conditions. WSDOT advises that all non-essential trips be delayed for at least the next 36 hours.

From Seattle, drivers in the Central Puget Sound area traveling south towards Oregon are advised to use Interstate 90 to Ellensburg, then south on Interstate 82 through Yakima and the Tri-cities/Richland to Umatilla, Ore. then west on Interstate 84 to I-5 in Portland.

From Portland, drivers in Southwest Washington traveling to Central Puget Sound, the detour is east on Interstate 84 to Umatilla, Ore. then north on Interstate 82 through the Tri-Cities/Richland and Yakima to Ellensburg and then west on I-90 to I-5 in Seattle.

From South Thurston county, the detour is I-5 northbound to Seattle then eastbound I-90, Interstate 90 over Snoqualmie Pass to Ellensburg, then south on Interstate 82 through Yakima and the Tri-cities/Richland to Umatilla, Ore. then west on Interstate 84 to Portland.

From South Lewis County/US 12 White Pass Highway, take I-5 south to Portland, the detour is east on Interstate 84 to Umatilla, Ore. then north on Interstate 82 through the Tri-Cities/Richland and Yakima to Ellensburg and then west on I-90 to I-5 in Seattle.

Lewis County closures:
Both lanes of I-5 are closed until water levels recede.

SR 505 is closed at milepost 3, milepost 7.5 and milepost 9.
SR 506 is closed at milepost 3 due to water over the roadway.
SR 508 is closed at milepost 26 due to a mudslide.
SR 7 is currently open, but trucks with load limit over 10,000 GVW are prohibited.

All closures and impacts are periodically updated on www.wsdot.wa.gov/news/update/. 

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Drivers can now get real time traffic and weather information by dialing 5-1-1 from most phones. This new traveler information system builds upon the highly successful Washington State Highway hotline that managed 4.6 million calls each year. Callers can also use 5-1-1 to get statewide construction, mountain pass condition, and state ferry system information, as well as toll free numbers for passenger rail and airlines. TTY users can call 1-800-833-6388.

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