There have been two separate garbage truck incidents on Washington highways in the last three days.
The latest happened this morning after a semi carrying garbage flipped over, blocking the ramp from northbound I-405 to eastbound I-90 for hours.
It has been a rough week for garbage trucks on Washington highways and an even rougher week for the drivers sharing the road with them.
The Latest News on I-405 to I-90 Garbage Truck Blocking Traffic
Trooper Rick Johnson posted the latest alert before 5 AM Thursday morning, saying that a garbage-carrying semi had crashed on the northbound I-405 to eastbound I-90 connector ramp, blocking the ramp entirely.
No injuries were reported.
There was no estimated time for clearing, but by 10 am the scene had cleared.
That ramp is one of the busiest connector points in the region, and a blocked ramp at the peak morning commute time has big effects across the surrounding highway network throughout the morning.
The First Crash This Week was a Sleeping Driver on US-101 Tuesday
Two days earlier, a fully loaded garbage truck driven by a suspected fatigued driver went over a guardrail on US-101 near milepost 299 at Mt. Walker in Jefferson County. The blue garbage truck rolled down an embankment nearly upside down, snapping multiple trees. The one that did not snap actually prevented the sideways truck from sliding further down the hill.
Diesel and garbage spilled across the hillside, and recovery required alternating traffic on US-101 for hours. The driver was suspected of falling asleep before losing control.
Two Trucks, Three Days, and One Clear Pattern
These two incidents are not connected by anything other than timing and vehicle type, but together they make a point worth saying directly.
Commercial garbage trucks operate on early morning routes, often with drivers who started their shift before most people set their alarms. Fatigue in commercial vehicle operations is a persistent and well-documented safety problem.
Hopefully, this will be the last garbage truck crash we have for a while.
Read More: That’s Not Tint! Washington State Trooper Tickets Soot-Covered VW
Read More: Car Cuddle? Rear-End Romance on I-5 Leaves Drivers Unhappy
Seahawks Celebrate 60 – Seattle, Washington
Gallery Credit: Aj Brewster