Date:  Friday, December 07, 2007

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

Truck drivers rolled slowly along I-5 through Chehalis Thursday night, where flooding had left 10 feet of standing water just three days before.

Road crews reported no major backups or delays, as hundreds of semi trucks got back on the road after a costly three days of delay caused by torrential rain storms Monday. Even though they were eager to make up lost time, truckers maintained 15-20 mph speeds along the portion of highway reduced to a single lane in each direction with no barrier separation.

WSDOT opened the highway to commercial trucks (more than 10,000 GVW) shortly after 5 p.m. Thursday. Later that evening, crews opened an 11-mile portion of southbound I-5 to all traffic. All vehicle types were allowed to enter the southbound lanes of I-5 at SR 6 in Chehalis (milepost 77) and continue south with no further closures. Crews spent the rest of the night monitoring traffic, repositioning barriers and fixing guardrail.

Friday morning WSDOT crews plan to begin replacing Jersey barriers that were shifted by swift flood waters on I-5 in Chehalis. Once the barriers are repositioned, two lanes in each direction on I-5 will be opened to all traffic. For more information about WSDOT's effort to respond to the flooding and reopen roads visit: www.wsdot.wa.gov/Projects/I5/2007Flood/

Drivers are advised to check their route before they go at www.wsdot.wa.gov/. Updated travel information is also available by calling 511. Out of state callers can call 1-800-695-ROAD (7623).

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