UPDATE: Westbound Interstate 80 is now open from Cheyenne to Walcott, according to the Wyoming Department of Transportation on Thursday afternoon.

This portion of the highway was closed earlier Thursday at the request of a local authority, according to WYDOT.

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The Wyoming Department of Transportation expects Interstate 80 from Laramie to Walcott to reopen Thursday afternoon after cleanup from a hazmat situation that began Wednesday, according to a news release from WYDOT.

About 8:40 a.m. Wednesday, a truck carrying some hazardous materials crashed on I-80 just west of Arlington.

WYDOT crews closed the road to westbound traffic about 11 a.m. to make room for the cleanup process.

Some of the truck’s contents broke open and spilled onto the roadway. WYDOT and Wyoming Highway Patrol identified some of the material as hazardous. The trucking company contacted a hazmat cleanup crew from Denver.

Brand Fogg, WYDOT’s Area Maintenance Supervisor in Arlington, said the hazardous chemicals included hydrochloric acid, hydrofluoric acid, and flammable materials.

Wyoming Department of Transportation
Wyoming Department of Transportation
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The first hazmat crew arrived on scene about 7:45 p.m.

However, they determined they were not equipped to clean up the material and a second hazmat crew from Colorado was contacted.

The second crew arrived about 3 a.m. and was finishing Thursday morning. The tractor and first trailer were removed from the highway.

As the cleanup finishes, Fogg said WYDOT maintenance is monitoring the road surface for any damage the chemicals may have caused. Maintenance will also need to salt and sand the road before it opens.

Snow, combined with sustained winds of more than 30 mph and gusts around 60 mph, hampered the cleanup process.

No one was hurt in the crash.

U.S. Highway 30 westbound also will reopen at the same time as I-80, as will Wyoming Highway 210, which has been closed to all but local traffic.

I-80 from Cheyenne to Laramie was closed due to truck parking being full in Laramie.

WYDOT and WHP received assistance from numerous agencies including Albany and Carbon counties and the Wyoming Office of Homeland Security.

“We want to thank our partner agencies for their help with this incident,” said Tom DeHoff, the district engineer in Laramie. “We also want to thank the public for being understanding and patient during this unique situation. Safety is our top priority.”

Unrelated to the hazmat situation, I-80 eastbound was also closed last night after a semi jackknifed near Elk Mountain. The eastbound lanes opened about 7 a.m.






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