GIG HARBOR, Wash. — Eastbound lanes of State Route 16 were closed for several hours Thursday morning because of a HAZMAT incident.
According to Trooper John Dattilo with the Washington State Patrol (WSP), around 12:45 a.m., a car entered the construction zone and hit several construction vehicles and a piece of equipment that contained a radioactive core.
The driver was arrested on suspicion of DUI.
Crews closed the highway at Olympic Drive until it could be cleaned up.
The road wasn’t reopened until 8 a.m.
The instrument that was hit is used to measure the density of asphalt, ensuring that it meets safety standards, said Trooper Dattilo. The construction zone was in place for pane paving, and the device was in use to ensure that the new lane was safe to drive on.
Traffic was detoured onto Olympic Drive and back onto SR 16 at 24th Street. The westbound lanes remained open and safe for morning commuters.
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