Trucking news and briefs for Thursday, Aug. 13, 2026:
- America’s worst haul route shut down after washout.
- New York inspectors hand out nearly 1K violations in week-long blitz.
- Traffic patterns shifting on this West Coast interstate.
I-70 WB shut down in Indiana
All lanes of I-70 Westbound are closed in eastern Indiana after flooding washed out a portion of the interstate.
The closure is at milemarker 146, just east of the Centerville Road exit in Wayne County.
INDOT said Thursday morning that "crews have been working around the clock" to fix the washed-out section of the interstate, and that damaged pavement has been removed and is now being filled in with stone.
Westbound travelers should detour onto U.S. 27 Southbound to U.S. 40 WB to State Road 1 NB and back to I-70 westbound.
A timetable for repairs is currently unavailable. More information on repairs will be available when the water recedes and crews can assess the extent of the damage.
The closure adds to an already poor reputation of I-70 in Indiana, which was ranked as by far the worst haul route in the United States by Overdrive readers in the 2025 Truckers’ Highway Report Card.
[Related: Like a 'bronco buster at a rodeo': Truckers' experience on American roadways today]
New York blitz sidelines 126 trucks
New York State Police put 126 commercial motor vehicles out of service for safety-related violations during a recent weeklong enforcement initiative.
New York State Police Troop T participated in the “Check Your Height, Know It’s Right” campaign at the end of July along the New York State Thruway. The initiative’s goal is to reduce bridge and overpass strikes involving commercial vehicles through education and targeted enforcement.
During the initiative, Troop T’s Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Unit conducted details throughout the state, with 348 commercial vehicle inspections. Of those, 126 vehicles were immediately taken out of service for safety-related violations.
A total of 966 violations were issued, including five for over-height vehicles, with 189 uniform traffic tickets for speeding, lack of seatbelt/restraints, cell phone use, registration and license issues, and other violations.
Over the last five years, more than 375 bridge strikes were recorded on the Thruway system, including one this week. Bridge hits on the Thruway due to over-height commercial vehicles in the downstate area and Western New York underscore the importance of drivers knowing their vehicle height and planning routes that avoid low-clearance structures, NYSP said.
The maximum legal vehicle height on the Thruway is 13'6". If a vehicle is taller, a permit is required. Visit the Thruway website for more information regarding permits.
Oregon shifting I-5 NB lanes back to normal configuration
The Oregon Department of Transportation, following a project to widen and repave a section of I-5 near Salem, will be shifting northbound traffic back to the original lanes overnight Thursday, Aug. 13.
The traffic shift will begin around 9 p.m. Thursday, with the move expected to be completed by 5 a.m. Friday, Aug. 14. Southbound I-5 traffic will be unaffected in the work zone.
ODOT will also be closing the northbound Commercial Street off-ramp and Delaney Road on-ramp for 48 hours starting at 6 a.m. on Aug. 17. While the ramps are closed, crews will work on correcting the driving surface, paving and making road repairs.
Drivers should also plan for the southbound Commercial Street on-ramp to close nightly on Aug. 19-20 from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. for crews to work on correcting the driving surface, paving and making road repairs.
