WASHINGTON STATE – On this 45th anniversary of the Mount St. Helens eruption, the Washington Department of Transportation (WSDOT) is offering a glimpse of the devastation that led to the closure of 1,100 miles of state highways.
Images from the volcanic event show the destructive forces of the eruption, including landslides and mudflows that destroyed 27 miles of SR 504, 10 miles of county roads, 25 bridges and numerous logging roads.
By the afternoon of May 18, 1980, maintenance crews sprang into action, using plows to clear the ash from the highways with the primary focus of rescuing 5,663 stranded motorists and evacuating small, isolated communities.
WDFW said the air was so thick with ash that drivers had to wear masks, and visibility was severely limited.
Headlights became necessary, and air filters on the plows were checked every 40-50 miles, with oil changes occurring every 200-300 miles.
“It was an anxious and frustrating time for our crews,” said Deputy Secretary of Transportation V.W. Korf. “But, like the troopers they are, they bit their ash-covered lips and kept working.”
The Toutle River flooded old SR 99 and the I-5 bridges, and the St. Helens bridge on SR 504 was buried.
Crews diligently worked to clear ash from I-90, highlighting the magnitude of the task they faced.
