SEATTLE — Northbound Interstate 5 has reopened after it was shut down in Seattle due to a protest on the roadway Friday afternoon, according to the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT).
The interstate was closed near Lakeview. The westbound and eastbound I-90 offramps to I-5 north also shut down for a brief period of time, WSDOT said. The backup reached four miles long before the road reopened.
Drivers were asked to take alternate routes and expect congestion during the closure.
Washington State Patrol gave protesters, who were stopped in I-5 north, the order to disperse, according to Trooper Rick Johnson. If the protesters refused to move, their cars would have been towed, Johnson said.
State patrol could not give a description or confirm who the protesters are, or what they are protesting about.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
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