Traffic From I-80 Diverted Through Green River For Two Hours

What could have been a terrible accident was averted Wednesday thanks to some talented driving and a quick response from the Wyoming Highway Patrol and Wyoming Department of Transportation maintenance crews. Around 10 a.m. a semi-truck carrying an oversized load stopped directly in front of the westbound tunnel near Green River after realizing his load, a massive dump truck, would not fit through the tunnel. Traffic was halted and the I-80 westbound lane was blocked. The truck, along with a second carrying a similar load from C and Y Trucking Company, had acquired the correct permits and permissions for oversized loads and were given the vertical and horizontal clearances of the tunnels. WYDOT Public Relations Specialist Stephanie Harsha said no one was at fault and that the arch and taper of the top of the tunnels was not taken into consideration.

The Wyoming Highway Patrol immediately responded with assistance from WYDOT Maintenance Crews and the city of Green River police department. Together, they were able to clear vehicles off the I-80 westbound lane and divert traffic through the city of Green River on Flaming Gorge Way. Traffic was redirected through Green River for about two hours. The stopped truck and his counterpart were then backed down I-80 to exit 91. Once Maintenance crews verified clearance of stop lights and two additional bridges, the trucks were then re-routed through Green River and back to I-80 by 1 PM.