looking south from Vancouver.
(Photo: Doug Merritt)
A concrete barricade in the shoulder of the southbound lanes of Interstate 5 on the Columbia River bridge is partially blocking the bike path. Doug Merritt shared a photo of the situation with us this morning and we’ve found out that it’s the result of a motor vehicle collision that occurred over the weekend.
The Washington State Department of Transportation says crews will fix the obstruction, “as soon as they can stop chasing storm drains.”
John Kangas is a Portland resident who commutes into Vancouver. He shared via Facebook this morning that, “This happens a lot this time of year” because people misjudge the onramp onto the bridge and “nudge” the barrier over. Kangas says it’s the third time he’s noticed the barricade hit this year.
WSDOT spokesperson Heidi Sause told us via telephone this morning that maintenance crews know about the situation and they will likely get to it “early next week.” In order to fix it, she says, they must close a single lane and plan traffic detours around it. “And we don’t like to close lanes on the bridge unless we have to.”