WEST RICHLAND, Wash. — Several travelers in eastern Washington rang in the new year trapped by a massive pileup of tumbleweeds that shut down a highway for hours.
Trooper C. Thorson of the Washington State Patrol responded to the bizarre scene and posted photos and a video on his Twitter account. Thorson said the tumbleweeds were piled 20 to 30 feet high in some places.
#tumblegeddon After 10 hours of SR 240 being closed last night on New Year’s Eve, it was opened around 0430 thanks to @WSDOT_East We still have one abandon car trapped in the tumbleweeds that was found at daylight, luckily no one was in it. pic.twitter.com/df7XbnqafE
— Trooper C. Thorson (@wspd3pio) January 1, 2020
Washington Department of Transportation workers used a snow plow to clear the roadway, while DOT workers removed the tumbleweeds that had buried a car, The Oregonian reported.
We’re still working on clearing the roadway with @WSDOT_East . We are unsure when the roadway will be opened. Tumbleweeds are piled 20-30 feet in places. S.C. pic.twitter.com/zFbA3luscg
— Trooper C. Thorson (@wspd3pio) January 1, 2020
The roadway was closed for 10 hours in both directions before reopening around 4:30 a.m. Wednesday, according to Thorson.
No injuries were reported.
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