GREEN RIVER — The Wyoming Department of Transportation is working to shift Interstate 80 traffic detoured through Green River back to the interstate by utilizing the eastbound tunnel sometime in the next two or three days.

WYDOT officials spoke during a Saturday press conference regarding the response to the fatal crash and fire that occurred late Friday morning. Concerns about the impacts heavy truck traffic and increased usage of Flaming Gorge Way will have on the street’s pavement and the cast iron pipes beneath the street. Additionally, the increased traffic has made navigating Green River using Flaming Gorge Way more challenging.

“We’re very much aware of the impact that puts on the community of Green River,” John Eddins, The WYDOT District 3 district engineer said.

He said WYDOT is working to set up concrete barriers to allow traffic to run head-to-head on the eastbound lane through the tunnel. WYDOT is planning to have traffic routes through the tunnel in two or three days. Eddins admits the shift presents a challenge as the lane widths would be reduced to between 10.5 to 11 feet and will require trucks with overwidth and overheight loads to be rerouted via U.S. 191, Wyoming 28, and Wyoming 372.

“It’s the best solution we have,” he said.

WYDOT has inspected the tunnel thoroughly and found no structural issues. Eddins said WYDOT also didn’t find issues in the utility vaults between the two tunnels. 

Eddins said WYDOT and the Wyoming Highway Patrol are working together to release factual information related to the incident and the response to combat “misnomers” that have spread publicly. One of those misnomers is the claim that the westbound tunnel had a collapse, which isn’t true. Both Stephanie Harsha, WYDOT District 3 public relations specialist and Steve Core, the City of Green River communications administrator, told SweetwaterNOW Friday the tunnel did not collapse.

We do have a sense of urgency to get this traffic back up on I-80 and let Green River go back to normal,” Eddins said.