Date:  Tuesday, May 03, 2011

Contact: Bronlea Mishler, WSDOT communications, 206-440-4788 (Shoreline)
Dave McCormick, WSDOT maintenance and operations , 206-949-1517 (Shoreline)

Tow truck removing earlier collision damages several girders

NORTH BEND – Bridge crews are assessing damage to Interstate 90 after a tow truck removing a vehicle from an earlier collision on State Route 18 hit and damaged the girders that support the eastbound lanes of I-90.

The collision damaged seven of the 13 girders that carry I-90 over SR 18, knocking off concrete and breaking several steel support cables.

The right lane of both westbound SR 18 and eastbound I-90 have been closed since shortly after 3 p.m. as a precaution, and so crews can bring in equipment to examine the damaged girders. WSDOT bridge experts expect to be on scene by 6:30 p.m. It is too early to determine the extent of the damage.

A tow truck removing a dump truck from the scene of a collision on SR 18 at Raging River hit the girders underneath I-90 at approximately 3 p.m.

The ramps at the SR 18/I-90 interchange are open. WSDOT may not have full details about the damage until later this evening or tomorrow morning, May 4.

Photos of the damaged girders are available on WSDOT’s Flickr site at: www.flickr.com/photos/wsdot/sets/72157626641996750/  

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