I-80 Green River tunnel cleanup to begin Monday; will take a week

GREEN RIVER, Wyo. — The Wyoming Department of Transportation’s District 3, which oversees all roads across southeast Wyoming, announced March 14 that cleanup work will officially begin on the westbound Interstate 80 tunnel, the location of the deadly Valentine’s Day road accident this year, starting Monday, March 17.

The district is partnering with Clean Harbors Environmental Services, it announced in a Facebook post. The company is one of the country’s largest waste management contractors and will be working to clear out the tunnel over the course of a week.

The majority of the week will be dedicated to concrete and debris removal as well as the cleaning and removal of oil and other contaminants dispersed during the crash and following fire.

Despite the tunnel, which is carved through solid granite, not being at immediate risk of collapse, the clearing of tunnel debris will reportedly open up WYDOT to complete the next step in the tunnel’s eventual reopening: structural repair. According to the department, the tunnel’s prospective repairs should delay the route’s reopening to winter 2025.

The current detours through the eastbound tunnel should not be noticeably impacted by the anticipated debris removal. If it should disrupt traffic, more information can be found on the WYDOT District 3 Facebook page.