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Whit Johnson reporting The first major accident on I-80 since construction began sent five children to the hospital this afternoon. A semi-truck was also involved, despite requests from the Department of Transportation that semis bypass the area.
Anybody who's driven through the area knows the lanes are narrow and there are no shoulders. If something goes wrong, you don't have much space to work with. All of that combined may have contributed to the severity of this accident.
The accident caused quite a mess. It happened this afternoon in the westbound lanes of I-80 near 300 east. Five vehicles were involved. It shut down traffic in both directions for about an hour.
Utah Highway Patrol sergeant Martin Turner said, "We have five children in an SUV that have been transported, nothing life-threatening."
Troopers say a piece of road debris caused traffic to slow down. Witness Tricia Kirschenmann said, "The semi kind of veered off to the left and hit the railing."
Another truck hauling a piece of construction equipment slammed into the back of the semi. From there it was a chain reaction, something drivers we spoke to say was bound to happen, given the conditions.
"I saw that this is a narrow spot," Kirschenmann explains.
Construction on the stretch of I-80 began in the fall. The lanes have been pinched from 12 to 11 feet wide in some places, creating some commuter claustrophobia.
John Montoya, I-80 Project Mgr. for UDOT, said, "They're not that much narrower, but you are constrained between barriers, so it just takes a little bit of extra caution."
The caution also comes with a recommendation for semi-trucks to use alternate routes. Signs posted along various highways ask semi's to avoid I-80 by taking I-215 instead, but Sgt. Turner says, "a large amount of semi traffic is still using this roadway."
UDOT says that could change if restrictions are needed to maintain public safety. Montoya said, "Occasionally they get caught up in the mix, and having a big truck in an accident obviously causes a more serious accident, and that's the reason for the recommendation."
UDOT says accidents have not increased much since construction in this area began. Still, they're doing everything possible to keep I-80 safe. And again, they're asking drivers to be very careful in all construction zones.
