Flammable cargo restriction in place for I-90 tunnels



Generally, a flammable cargo restriction applies to trucks carrying hazardous material, not the everyday driver.

SEATTLE — The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) is still inspecting the Mount Baker Tunnel after a fiery RV crash brought traffic to a screeching halt Monday afternoon.

The tunnel fully reopened just past 7 p.m. Monday after an initial safety inspection was completed, ensuring the tunnel’s structural integrity.

However, WSDOT is not done inspecting for damage.

That’s triggered a flammable cargo restriction for both directions of the Mount Baker and Mercer Island Lid tunnels until further notice.

“This just happened yesterday and so we’re still assessing the situation to see if we can lift that restriction. This is about public safety,” said Aila Daya, a spokesperson for WSDOT.

There is a code of regulations defining what constitutes as flammable cargo, but this generally applies to trucks transporting hazardous and flammable material, liquids and gas, like gasoline and fireworks.

This does not apply to vehicles carrying small amounts of flammable material, like a propane tank for a barbecue.

The Washington State Patrol (WSP) will enforce the restriction by monitoring any vehicles that have signage stating they’re carrying flammable materials.

“If you’re carrying something over the limit that you’ll need a placard, then this will apply to you no matter what you’re driving,” WSP Trooper Rick Johnson said. “But yes, this doesn’t affect most people.”

State Route 520 is also under a flammable cargo restriction.

Vehicles carrying flammable cargo must travel around Lake Washington via Interstate 5 and Interstate 405.

The Washington State Department of Transportation will also perform maintenance on the westbound lanes in the Mount Baker and Mercer Island Lid tunnels this week. 

An overnight closure of all lanes from Island Crest Way in Mercer Island to Rainier Avenue South in Seattle is in place from 10 p.m. Friday, May 16 to 6 a.m. Saturday, May 17.

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