December 7, 2007
By KIRBY NEUMANN-REA
News Editor

Interstate 84 became a back-up route when this week’s floods closed Interstate 5 in Washington state.

But the first backup, as in congestion, due to increased truck volume on 84 did not happen until Biggs, as large numbers of trucks headed east to highways 97 and 82 to make the detour via Yakima to Seattle and other northern Puget Sound destinations.

An Oregon State Police spokesman said added truck traffic caused no problems in the mid-Columbia section of the freeway.

Yet the blockage at Biggs was a doozy.

At the junction of 84 and Highway 97, truckers seeking fuel or rest lined up onto 84 itself, and the transportation hub saw some of its worst blockage in years.

“Interstate 84 is capable of handling overflow. There were no real issues on the actual thoroughfare,” said Lt. Pat Ashmore of Oregon State Police Friday morning. He said there was no increase in enforcement or accidents — largely because of well-timed dry weather.

Late Thursday, Washington State Patrol opened I-5 to commercial traffic, and Ashmore said that relief could be seen — slightly — at Biggs.

But many truckers did stop there, and OSP issued an alert Thursday that “severe congestion” was causing problems on and around the interstate.

“A lot of these folks are getting plugged up there,” in Biggs, Ashmore said. The agency asked that motorists avoid Biggs Junction, and meanwhile worked with trucking industry representatives to prevent more trucks from using Biggs Junction, or to at least find alternative fueling locations, according to Ashmore. Readerboards east and west of Biggs also warned motorists of the problem.