I-82 Will Soon reopen After a Broken Culvert Closed The Road

Work continues along the east and west lanes of I-82 near Wapato to repair a broken irrigation culvert under the road. But there's good news because the repairs are nearly complete.

THE REOPENING OF I-82 NEAR WAPATO HAPPENS SOON

State Department of Transportation officials say the westbound lanes of Interstate 82 will reopen to traffic on Friday, February 23. The eastbound lanes of set to be reopened on Friday, March 1.

THE PROBLEM WAS FIRST DISCOVERED ON FEBRUARY 12

The closure started in the eastbound lanes on Monday, February 12 after an inspection found a damaged irrigation culvert under the highway. Due to the age of the culvert, they found severe corrosion that caused a partial collapse. As repair work started WSDOT officials found more damage happened to the culvert under eastbound I-82, which started affecting the shoulder and the left lane of the westbound lanes. That's when both westbound lanes were closed as well.

WSDOT WORKING WITH ROZA IRRIGATION DISTRICT

Transportation crews have worked with the Roza Irrigation District to come up with a solution to make sure the problem doesn't happen again. A news release says so far crews removed the damaged culverts and built a temporary drainage system. Now they're backfilling the temporary drain, and rebuilding and paving the westbound lanes.

THE EASTBOUND LANES WILL ALSO BE REPAVED

• Crews will continue to work on rebuilding and repaving the eastbound lanes with a tentative reopening by Friday, March 1.
  Until the lanes reopen;
  Eastbound traffic will detour off I-82 at exit 37A onto US 97. Travelers will then use McDonald Road to State Route 22 and back onto I-82.
  Westbound traffic will detour off I-82 at exit 50 onto Buena Road and then follow a detour via Yakima Valley Highway and Donald Wapato Road to return to I-82.

WSDOT say travelers should allow extra time and plan for delays while work to repair the area is underway.
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