I-90 West reopens near Cle Elum, WA after crews demolish overpass
Bullfrog road overpass demolition completed, I-90 westbound reopens early
Crews have completed the emergency demolition of the Bullfrog Road overpass near Cle Elum, allowing westbound I-90 to reopen days ahead of schedule after the bridge was critically damaged by an oversized truck on Tuesday.
KITTITAS COUNTY, Wash. - An emergency contractor demolished the Bullfrog Road overpass after it was severely damaged when an oversized truck load struck the bridge earlier this week.
What we know:
The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) said demolition of the overpass concluded on Friday, and westbound I-90 lanes have since reopened.
Engineers are now designing a new overpass, and transportation officials will provide updates as they become available.
(WSDOT)
Governor issues emergency proclamation
What they're saying:
Gov. Bob Ferguson announced Wednesday that he signed an emergency proclamation to speed up the response.
"I signed an emergency proclamation today on the Bullfrog Road overpass that was severely damaged by a strike, closing the westbound lanes of I-90 underneath," Ferguson wrote on X. "The proclamation allows us to seek federal funds and enter into an emergency contract to start work as quickly as possible. Our first priority is getting westbound I-90 reopened."
The emergency order allows state transportation officials to bypass the normal bidding process and seek federal reimbursement for the repair work.
(WSDOT)
Westbound I-90 lanes reopen
What you can do:
Westbound lanes of I-90 were closed Tuesday night after the overpass was hit by an oversized load at about 10:30 p.m., according to the Washington State Patrol. The freeway remained closed for several days as crews assessed the damage and prepared for demolition.
On Friday, WSDOT announced westbound I-90 lanes had reopened near Cle Elum following the removal of the damaged Bullfrog Road overpass.
The overpass remains closed. No timeline has been announced for rebuilding the Bullfrog Road bridge.
WB I-90 closed near Cle Elum after truck hits overpass
A section of westbound I-90 is closed near Cle Elum after a truck hit an overpass late Tuesday night.
Investigation ongoing
What's next:
The Washington State Patrol continues to investigate the incident. Photos and video shared by troopers show a large section missing from the bridge and debris scattered across the roadway below. No injuries were reported.
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The Source: Information in this story came from the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) and the Washington State Patrol (WSP).