Old Highway 99 near Tenino was back open Tuesday after emergency crews finally cleared a deadly crash that had shut the route down and left drivers stuck in long backups. While investigators documented the wreck, tow trucks worked to haul away the mangled vehicles and make the road passable again.
Video from the scene shows the first wave of traffic creeping through as officers wrapped up their work, according to KIRO 7. The station reports the highway reopened only after tow crews removed the wreckage and crews signed off that the pavement was safe to drive.
Another Crash on a Notorious Stretch
This is not the first serious crash on Old Highway 99 this spring. The Olympian reported a May 5 collision along the same corridor that killed two horses and briefly closed the road. Local drivers and officials say the string of incidents has revived calls for targeted safety fixes along the Tenino stretch.
County Safety Plan Flags Old Hwy 99
A 2025 Thurston County safety plan lists Old Highway 99 on the county's "High Injury Network" and recommends intersection and corridor improvements aimed at reducing severe crashes, according to the Thurston County Safety Action Plan. Those recommendations feed into regional project lists that could bring funding and construction work to the Tenino corridor in the coming years.
What Investigators Say
Authorities had not released the victims' identities or a suspected cause of the crash as of Tuesday, and the investigation remains active, KIRO 7 reported. The Thurston County Sheriff's Office and partner agencies typically lead serious crash investigations on county roads and are expected to share more information once it becomes available.
