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Fire At Crockett Fuel Facility Ignites Bay Area Traffic Nightmare

CROCKETT (CBS SF) -- Due to a fire at a Crockett fuel facility that lasted most of the day, the California Highway Patrol saidTuesday evening that officers expected Interstate Highway 80 to remain closed in both directions until around midnight.

traffic i-80 due to Crockett fire (CBS)
The traffic gridlock on I-80 as commuters left work Tuesday afternoon (CBS)

But the busy roadway reopened around 9:20 p.m.

The closure was from state Highway 4 to the Carquinez Bridge. Drivers were asked to avoid the area and consider using alternate routes.

All lanes were closed in both directions. Traffic was being diverted to Highway 4 for I-80 eastbound and to I-780 for I-80 westbound.

 

Emergency officials closed the highway to protect people from particulate matter from the fire and allow firefighters the space to do their job.

A KPIX 5 viewer said it took his dad four hours to get to Hercules from San Francisco International Airport.

"I've been stuck in standstill traffic on Pinole Valley Road for almost 30 minutes," said Angela Mendoza of Hercules, who was also stuck in the gridlock.

Traffic was being diverted into neighborhoods and the gridlock extended into residential areas.

© Copyright 2019 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Bay City News Service contributed to this report.

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