GOLD BAR — State work crews plan to close U.S. 2 east of Gold Bar for up to an hour this morning to remove a giant concrete panel that fell off a truck Sunday.
At 8 a.m., crews will start alternating traffic at the Anderson Creek Bridge, then close both directions of the highway at 9 a.m. Following the closure, crews will alternate traffic for up to two hours. Crews will use two large tow trucks to remove the 56,000-pound panel.
No alternate routes will be available, said Meghan Pembroke, a spokeswoman for the state Department of Transportation.
Skiers headed to Stevens Pass from the Seattle area should plan to be east of Gold Bar before 8 a.m. or delay their trip until after 11 a.m., state transportation officials said.
Truck traffic should consider using I-90 to get across the Cascades.
On Sunday, a semi-truck jackknifed, losing the giant panel. No one was injured but U.S. 2 was closed for several hours while crews moved the panel to the side of the road and removed the truck. The panel was too heavy to remove at the time, according to the transportation department. The collision also caused minor damage to the Anderson Creek Bridge. As early as next week, drivers can expect single-lane closures while maintenance crews repair the damage.
Drivers can call 511 for updated information on the closure or call www.wsdot.wa.gov/traffic/trafficalerts/pugetsound.aspx.
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