The westbound lanes of I-82 near Yakima have been closed by the Washington State Patrol about seven miles south of Yakima because of a semi-trailer on its side.
It blocked both lanes of the roadway this morning, causing traffic to back up at the scene for miles with no estimated time for reopening.
Washington State Patrol Says to Take This Detour Around
WSP District 3 posted the alert at 8:07 AM this morning after a semi collided and overturned on westbound I-82 near milepost 40 in the Union Gap area south of Yakima. The trailer is on its side blocking the highway, the kind of scene that takes time and heavy equipment to clear.
WSDOT moved quickly to set up a detour before traffic could stack up further.
Detour Around the SR-83 Semi Crash Near Union Gap
The official detour routes drivers off westbound I-82 at Exit 40, Parker Road, and onto SR-97 as the alternate route around the closure. If you are already approaching the area on I-82 westbound, take Exit 40 at Parker Road and follow SR 97.
The problem is that some big rigs might be too large, with limited width restrictions on that highway.
WSP is asking all drivers to avoid the area entirely if possible.
No ETA on Reopening
There is currently no estimated time for when westbound I-82 will reopen at milepost 40 with the semi-trailer on its side.
The recovery operation and accident investigation need to be completed before lanes can be cleared and the highway reopened.
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