11-10-043

WSR 11-10-043

PROCLAMATION

OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR

[ April 25, 2011 ]

PROCLAMATION BY THE GOVERNOR

11-07

WHEREAS, a semi truck carrying an over-height load struck the 113th Avenue overpass over I-5 in Thurston County, Washington, on March 22, 2011, causing significant girder damage to the overpass requiring extensive repairs impacting public safety, travel and access; and

The estimated cost to repair the damage is over $900,000, and the overpass repair project is currently restricting pedestrian access and limiting vehicle traffic to one lane of alternating traffic on the overpass. Repair operations will interrupt traffic on I-5 and 113th Avenue, and cause delays, disruption and inconvenience affecting public health and safety; and

The Washington State Department of Transportation is coordinating resources to repair the overpass to alleviate the immediate impacts upon the infrastructure and public safety, is continuing to assess the damage caused by this incident, and is working to implement damage repairs; and

The impact of this incident to the life and health of our citizens, as well as the property and transportation infrastructure of Washington State, is a public disaster that affects life, health, property or the public peace.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Christine O. Gregoire, Governor of the state of Washington, as a result of the above-noted situation and under Chapters 38.52 and 43.06 RCW, do hereby proclaim that a State of Emergency exists in Thurston County in the state of Washington, and direct the plans and procedures in the Washington State Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan be implemented. State agencies and departments are directed to utilize state resources and to do everything reasonably possible to assist affected political subdivisions in an effort to respond to and recover from the incident.

Signed and sealed with the official seal of the state of Washington this 25th day of April, A.D. Two-thousand and Eleven at Olympia, Washington

	By:
	Christine O. Gregoire Governor
BY THE GOVERNOR: Steve Excell [Assistant] Secretary of State