Updated Thursday, Aug. 26, 8:30 a.m. ET.: The Oregon Department of Transportation tweeted Wednesday evening that all lanes of Interstate 84 that were closed due to a truck crash that morning were reopened. Apple juice concentrate spilled out of the truck, which was hanging over the edge of a bridge.
Virtually all eastbound and westbound lanes on a stretch of Interstate 84 are closed in eastern Oregon due to a truck crash. The Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) said it happened Wednesday morning near mile post (MP) 238 in the Meacham area.
ODOT said tow truck and environmental cleanup crews went to the scene, working to get it reopened as soon as it’s safe. Oregon Route 245 is also closed to through traffic.
According to ODOT’s Trip Check website, eastbound lanes are closed to all traffic for about 50 miles beginning 7 miles east of Pendleton, and all westbound lanes are closed to commercial vehicles for about 70 miles beginning 6 miles west of Ontario. Westbound lanes are open for local traffic only between Ontario and Baker City, ODOT said, according to a report from KOIN-TV in Portland.
Carolyn Randolph, a motorist from Vancouver, Washington, traveling to Idaho, told FreightWaves that traffic has been diverted onto local roads, some of which are gravel. She said at least three UPS trucks were caught in the backup in one spot as she was heading toward La Grande, Oregon.
Officials have not said what spilled from the truck nor what caused the crash. Check the FreightWaves website and social media accounts for updates.
Click here for more FreightWaves articles by Nick Austin.
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Frederic Norton
ODOT is run by idiots. They closed every westbound Road but didn’t tell you until you got into the traffic jam. Six hours later and still closed. These people ought to work for Biden they’d feel right at home.