Earthquake Closes Washington Highways
(1:15 p.m. CST) The Washington State Transportation Department has updated the latest road closure information due to Wednesday's earthquake.
(1:15 p.m. CST) The Washington State Transportation Department has updated the latest road closure information due to Wednesday's earthquake.
The on-ramp from 4th Ave. South in downtown Seattle to eastbound Interstate 90 and north- and southbound Interstate 5 is closed to all traffic. Because of a damaged area approximately 60 to 80 feet above ground, the westbound exit to 4th Avenue South, which is aligned under the eastbound ramp, is reduced to one lane to keep westbound traffic away from the damaged area. Bridge engineers estimate that the eastbound ramp will remain closed for at least a few more days to provide time to design and execute a temporary fix. Motorists traveling on eastbound I-90 may prefer to take Rainier Avenue South to access downtown Seattle.
State Route 202 (Fall City-Snoqualmie Road) is closed to all north- and southbound traffic between SE Fish Hatchery Road and Snoqualmie Falls. Inspectors found extensive damage to a 1,000-foot section of roadway near the falls that includes a longitudinal crack in the center of the road that extends over 900 feet. In addition, the roadway shoulder separated from the lane adjacent to the Snoqualmie River and fell away approximately 6 inches. This area was already under close scrutiny by maintenance crews because of an ongoing landslide slowly encroaching on the roadway. Current estimates are that the road will be closed to all traffic for up to 12 months or longer.
SR 302 is closed to traffic in Mason County, due to a landslide. Access will be provided for local traffic only.
For State Route 509/State Route 99 First Ave., damage was found on both the northbound and southbound spans of the 1st Avenue South bridge spanning the Duwamish Waterway in south Seattle. Although they are currently open to vehicle traffic, night closures of SR 509 across both northbound and southbound bridge structures will occur over an upcoming weekend. Sometime within the next three months, more extensive lane closures will occur to repair the northbound structure.
The Fourth Avenue Bridge in Olympia remains closed.
For updated reports, call 206-DOT-HIWY (206-368-4499) or toll-free statewide: 1-800-695-ROAD (1-800-695-7623).
More Drivers
FDA Eases Path for Oral-Fluid Testing
Federal actions could advance oral-fluid drug testing for truck drivers, but lab certification delays and marijuana rescheduling questions remain.
Read More →
Why Hiring Truck Drivers Is Getting Harder
Higher recruiting costs, a shrinking driver pool, and renewed pay competition are raising the stakes for fleets heading into 2027.
Read More →
Roehl Offers Truck Drivers $10,000 Retention Incentive
Payments begin after the first load and continue in mileage-based installments for eligible experienced drivers joining the fleet.
Read More →
Platform Science Adds Dispatch and Safety Tools
Four additions to PS Fleet help fleets monitor loads, manage driver coaching, share truck locations and adjust video system settings.
Read More →
When Language Stops the Truck: The Return of ELP Out-of-Service Orders
English language proficiency rules for commercial drivers aren’t new, but renewed out-of-service enforcement has raised the stakes. Here’s what carriers need to know before a driver reaches a roadside inspection.
Read More →
Samsara Launches Custom AI Agent Builder
Agent Studio lets fleets create AI tools for hours-of-service monitoring, reporting and driver support, including agents that communicate by phone.
Read More →
Trucker Path Expands Reserved Parking Network
Trucker Path has added close to 6,000 more truck parking spaces to its Trucker Path Reserved Parking Network with the addition of Safe Truck Parking.
Read More →
EEOC Sues Texas Trucking Company Over Driver Age Limits
The agency says Trancasa USA rejected applicants over 65 and applied tougher driving-record standards to those over 60.
Read More →
Nussbaum, Roehl Announce Second Driver Pay Increase This Year
This year has seen a swath of major truck driver pay increases as freight capacity has tightened.
Read More →
From One Generation to the Next: How Mentorship Builds Safer Truck Drivers
After three decades in trucking, Harold Perry shares what he's learned about driver safety, mentorship, and helping the next generation build confidence behind the wheel.
Read More →