A friend and I were in the mess stuck in the traffic not too far from the modular home that got stuck on the slough bridge on state Highway 14 (“One dead in seven-vehicle crash in traffic backup,” The Columbian, Aug. 22). After a lengthy wait, a Department of Transportation worker responded, and he was trying on his own at best to untangle the mess.
Multiple cars turned around and were driving the wrong way east on the shoulder, which the only exits would be the wrong way on an onramp. Two State Patrol officers responded and the untangling began. We were there an hour.
What I don’t understand is why Camas and Washougal police did not respond and why Highway 14 was not closed completely at the Sixth Street exit and at River Road. As we were diverted, we could clearly see an impending accident as vehicles were still speeding both directions toward this situation, which did cause an accident with two injuries and one fatality. Let us learn from this.
