I-5 in Wash. State May Reopen to Truck Traffic Thursday

Interstate 5, part of which has been closed in Washington state since Monday due to flooding, could reopen to limited truck traffic Thursday night, the Seattle Times reported on its Web site.

Citing state transportation officials, the paper reported that I-5 in Lewis County, Wash., may open to traffic in one lane each way Thursday night, beginning with trucks only.

The I-5 closure near Chehalis, Wash., is costing the state's economy an estimated $4 million a day as some trucks sit idle and others take time-consuming detours, the Times said.

A 20-mile stretch of freeway has been closed since a big storm Monday caused the Chehalis River to flood over its banks, the Times said.

The paper reported that work crews helped drain water from I-5, a major north-south West Coast transport artery.