Interstate 5 southbound remains closed at milepost 116 for the continued investigation and cleanup of a derailed Amtrak train.

Update 3:45 a.m.; State Transportation Department spokesman Travis Phelps said Interstate 5 will be closed through Tuesday night and could be shut down for several days as officials finish the investigation at the scene. He says the next step is assessing the overpass and the road below.

Update 10:50 a.m.; Crews have begun to clear rail cars from the freeway and surrounding area. There is still no ETA for reopening I-5 southbound. WSDOT requests drivers please continue to avoid the area to allow emergency crews room to do their important work.



Washington State Department of Transportation offers two major detours: From I-5 south in Tacoma, drivers can take SR 16 west to SR 3 south towards Shelton to US 101 south towards Olympia then rejoin I-5. Another alternate route to use is eastbound SR 512 to southbound SR 507 towards Yelm.

The posted detours are not major freeways and are seeing extreme backups and delays. Residents of the small towns along the detour paths are reporting clogged roads and long backups.

We're seeing a nearly 14 mile backup on SB 507 into Yelm. SR 16 to SR 3 is a faster route at this point. — WSDOT Tacoma Traffic (@wsdot_tacoma) December 19, 2017

"I've been getting alerts on my phone all day. We are being advised to stay home and off the roads. I live in Yelm." Julie Bahrami posted on Facebook.

This map shows the recommended travel routes for motorists to avoid the Amtrak accident impacting I-5. Travel through Yelm will be impacted for several days. Be prepared for lengthy delays. Posted by Bald Hills Fire Department on Monday, December 18, 2017

Check back throughout the morning for the latest commuting updates and follow us on Twitter: @trafficportland