Green River Tunnel
 | |
| Overview | |
|---|---|
| Location | Green River, Wyoming United States |
| Coordinates | 41°32′02″N 109°27′53″W / 41.53389°N 109.46472°W |
| Status | westbound bore closed; temporary super two through eastbound bore |
| Route |   I-80 (Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway) / US 30 |
| Operation | |
| Opened | October 28, 1966 |
| Owner | Wyoming Department of Transportation |
| Traffic | Automotive |
| Character | Limited access |
| Toll | None |
| Technical | |
| Length | 1,138.2 ft (346.92 m) |
| No. of lanes | 4 (2 each direction; temporarily reduced to 2 lanes with 1 in each direction for repairs to westbound bore) |
| Operating speed | 65 mph (105 km/h) (variable; temporarily reduced to 35 mph (56 km/h) for repairs to the westbound bore) |
| Tunnel clearance | 16 feet 4 inches (4.98 m) eastbound 16 feet 9 inches (5.11 m) westbound |
The Green River Tunnel is a pair of 1,138.2-foot (346.9 m) vehicular tunnels that carry Interstate 80 (Dwight D. Eisenhower Highway)/U.S. Route 30 through a rock ridge in Green River in Sweetwater County, Wyoming, United States.[1] The two tunnels, one for eastbound and one for westbound traffic, opened on October 28, 1966.[2] The tunnels run approximately from mile points 90.1 to 90.3 along the interstate.[3]
Rock ridge
[edit]
The tunnels pass through a ridge formation in the Rocky Mountains. Due to the steepness of the ridge, it was not possible to build Interstate 80 across the ridge while maintaining an acceptable grade as required by Interstate Highway Standards. The Continental Divide passes through Sweetwater County.
Accident in February 2025
[edit]On the afternoon of February 14, 2025, at least three people were killed and five others injured in a multi-vehicle crash in the tunnel. The crash resulted in the closure of the westbound bore of the tunnel, which investigators said was severely damaged. The Wyoming Department of Transportation said the crash started outside of the tunnel, where two of the fatalities occurred.
The crash was primarily concentrated around 400 feet from the eastern entrance of the westbound tunnel. In total, 26 vehicles were involved. The NTSB and WYDOT began investigating the cause of the crash. Traffic was diverted through Green River on Wyoming Highway 374.
The three victims identified in the crash were 20-year-old Christopher Johnson and 22-year-old Quentin Romero of Rawlins, and 30-year-old Harmanjeet Singh of Nova Scotia, Canada. [4][5][6][7]
See also
[edit]
References
[edit]- ^ "Green River I-80 Twin Tunnels, Sweetwater County, Wyoming". Bridge Hunter. Retrieved February 22, 2025.
- ^ "I-80 Tunnel Route Open to Traffic". Jackson Hole Guide. November 3, 1966. p. 32. Retrieved February 17, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Google Maps". Google Maps. Retrieved March 1, 2025.
- ^ McFarland, Clair (February 17, 2025). "WYDOT Director Says Green River Tunnel Crash Started Outside Tunnel". Cowboy State Daily. Retrieved February 17, 2025.
- ^ "Investigators enter a highway tunnel in Wyoming where a fiery crash killed 2". AP News. February 15, 2025. Retrieved February 16, 2025.
- ^ Grochowski, Garrett (February 16, 2025). "New fatality confirmed in Green River tunnel crash; three confirmed total". Oil City News.
- ^ Downing, Jeremy (February 18, 2025). "Victims identified in deadly Green River tunnel wreck". Wyoming News Now. Retrieved March 12, 2025.
External links
[edit]
Media related to Green River Tunnel at Wikimedia Commons