Cle Elum I-90 Overpass Must Be Demolished After Truck Strike

The overpass struck by an oversized load on Interstate-90 near Cle Elum Tuesday night must be demolished and reconstructed.

READ MORE: State Patrol Cracks Down After 3 Serious Crashes in a Week on U.S. 97

Governor Declares Emergency in Kittitas County

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Governor Bob Ferguson declared an emergency in Kittitas County as a result of the damage. The emergency proclamation allows the state to seek federal funds to expedite emergency contracting.

WSDOT Engineers Determine Bridge Beyond Repair

Washington State Department of Transportation bridge engineers inspected the bridge Wednesday, Oct. 22. They determined the damaged portion of the overpass is not repairable and must be demolished. WSDOT hired an emergency contractor to remove the overpass portion over westbound I-90. This will allow westbound I-90 to reopen to traffic until construction begins on a replacement overpass.

Traffic Detours and Lane Closures on I-90

Demolition begins immediately, and travelers will continue to detour using the westbound off and on-ramps at Exit 80. An eastbound lane of I-90 will be closed during the demolition until 8 p.m. Saturday. WSDOT hopes the demolition will be complete and that the westbound lanes of I-90 will reopen to traffic next week.

Alternate Routes for Travelers Near Cle Elum

In the meantime, Bullfrog Road overpass is closed, and travelers on Bullfrog Road cannot access the westbound on-ramp to I-90, while Eastbound I-90 travelers going to the Suncadia and Roslyn area must use exit 85 to State Route 903. Travelers on westbound I-90 requiring access to south Bullfrog Road and Leisure Lane will detour to exit 78 and go on I-90 to exit 80.

Next Steps: Designing the Replacement Overpass

WSDOT engineers are designing the new westbound overpass, and WSDOT will provide updates on construction and the timeline as they become available.