A crash involving a tractor-trailer on Interstate 5 southbound is significantly impacting traffic, according to the Washington State Department of Transportation.
A moderate impact alert from Washington DOT was heightened to high impact around 7 a.m. Officials said the crash happened on I-5 southbound near 99th Street at 5:38 a.m.
The transportation department did not give an estimate for when the crash would be cleared.
Another crash on state Highway 500 temporarily impacted traffic on that road, blocking the right lane near 112th Avenue and Gher Road shortly after 6 a.m. Crews had the crash cleared in about an hour.
And according to emergency radio traffic monitored at The Columbian, several less severe traffic accidents were being reported throughout Clark County as the morning commute began.
Law enforcement and transportation officials asked drivers to slow down and give road crews plenty of room, as many roads remain icy Tuesday morning.
The National Weather Service in Portland also warned Vancouver and Clark County residents of patchy dense fog in its short-term forecast for Tuesday morning.
“Patchy dense fog will continue across the Willamette and lower Columbia River valleys through the mid morning hours,” the forecast said.
Drivers should be prepared for abrupt reductions in visibility over short distances, NWS said.
