WHP, WYDOT say death toll now three in I-80 tunnel crash

GREEN RIVER – Wyoming Highway Patrol troopers and other first responders have confirmed one additional fatality as they work to investigate and clear the tragic Green River tunnel crash that occurred Friday at mile marker 90.2 on Interstate 80.

That brings the confirmed death toll to three.

According to a joint WHP and Wyoming Department of Transportation news release Sunday afternoon, additional details will be provided as they become available.

The WHP has cleared about half of the vehicles involved in the tunnel fire, basically to the middle of the 1,200-foot tunnel. Saturday night, four passenger vehicles and nine commercial vehicles were removed from the crash site.

In total, the WHP believes 26 vehicles were involved in the event: 10 passenger vehicles and 16 commercial vehicles. Six commercial vehicles and two passenger vehicles were completely destroyed by the fire.

Through an emergency contracting process, the Wyoming Department of Transportation has contracted DeBernardi Construction to begin moving concrete barriers to the crossover lanes in preparation for guiding traffic head-to-head in the eastbound tunnel. WYDOT expects this to be in place by Wednesday.

“Thank you to the community of Green River for your support in keeping traffic moving during this thorough and complicated investigation,” WYDOT District Engineer John Eddins said in the release. “We know that the detoured traffic was very impactful to your community this weekend, and we will continue to work to minimize impacts.”

There will be a 10.5-foot width and 16-foot height restriction through the head-to-head lanes in the eastbound tunnel. Oversized vehicles should contact WYDOT’s oversize loads permit office for detours. More information is available at whp.wyo.gov/commercial-carrier/ports-of-entry.

WYDOT and the WHP are working closely with the National Transportation Safety Board on parallel crash investigations.

In a separate news release sent out late Saturday afternoon, Gov. Mark Gordon's office said he and WYDOT Director Darin Westby traveled to Green River for a briefing on the crash. The governor and Westby visited the tunnel, met with local emergency response teams; they were briefed by WHP on the crash and updated by WYDOT engineers about damage to the tunnel.

“Thank you to the Sweetwater County emergency responders and all those locally helping support those working on the ground,” Gordon said in the release. “This is a tragic incident, but we will respond together and help our neighbors. That is the Wyoming way.”

The governor emphasized the importance of driver attentiveness for the safety of all motorists. He also acknowledged the strain the current temporary detour is placing on the community of Green River, as well as the risk to infrastructure beneath local roads from the weight of commercial vehicles.

It will take WYDOT several days to construct a more permanent detour, and the governor thanked residents for their understanding as additional traffic will impact local travel. The governor further underscored the value of the Mineral Royalty Grants program to communities that require support for local infrastructure.

Gordon said he has been in contact with Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, and pledged to devote all resources available to assist the Green River and Rock Springs communities as they address the impacts of this tragic event.

Gordon extended his gratitude to all agencies and partners that have been involved in responding to the accident, including WYDOT, Wyoming Office of Homeland Security, Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality, Sweetwater County Emergency Management, Sweetwater County Sheriff’s Office, Sweetwater County Commissioners, local legislators, the cities of Green River and Rock Springs, Sweetwater County Memorial Hospital staff, the Green River Fire Department and the Green River Police Department.

This story was published on February 16, 2025.