Work started last night (Thurs) on the overpass that was damaged, closing I-90 at Cle Elum. An oversize load scraped the bottom of the overpass, tearing it apart and making it unusable, and unsafe to drive under.
Governor Bob Ferguson declared it an emergency. That allows the state to seek federal funds and to expedite contracting.
State Bridge Engineers inspected the damage Wednesday and determined the overpass can’t be repaired and must be demolished. Crews started tearing it down last night. Once it’s completely down and safe, it will allow I-90 traffic to reopen until construction begins to replace the overpass. The eastbound side will remain up and unaffected.
During the demolition, an eastbound lane will also be closed. If weather permits, demolition should be done and westbound lanes will be back open by early next week. Until then, traffic is down to one lane and diverted up the off-ramp and down the other side.
