Intense Sandstorm Shut Down Part of SR-397 in Kennewick Again

Days after winds caused a dust storm on SR-397, causing multiple blocking collisions, Washington State Patrol shut down the same area yesterday (Monday) morning after a sandstorm rolled through the Tri-Cities.

This time, WSDOT made the call to close the road entirely before drivers attempted to drive through it in near-zero visibility conditions.

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They closed SR-397 from milepost 4 at Olympia Street all the way to milepost 0 at I-82 until the sandstorm passed.

Washington State Patrol Closes Kennewick Highway Again

Strong winds blowing sand across SR-397 created severely low visibility conditions along the entire stretch between Olympia Street and the I-82 interchange in Kennewick.

I believe WSP and WSDOT made the right call closing the road proactively rather than waiting for another round of collisions like the ones that happened earlier in the week on the same highway.

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A closed road is an inconvenience, but a highway full of sandstorm crashes is a disaster.

Two Sandstorms in One Week on the Same Tri-Cities Road

This corridor runs through open agricultural terrain that is vulnerable to wind-driven sand and dust events during the fall dry season. When wind events hit this area, drivers get almost no warning before visibility collapses completely.

If you travel SR-397 regularly, keep an eye on wind forecasts and WSDOT alerts before heading out, especially during dry, windy conditions this fall.