I-5 is expected to be closed AT LEAST for 36 hours, but the authorities are expecting longer. There is a levee between the freeway and the Chehalis River. The water tends to flow over the levee, then gets trapped on the freeway. In 1996, the freeway was under 10 ft of water.

But there have been some local changes since the last flood. The city has allowed a lot of the low areas to be filled in, and they've built a Home Depot, Applebee's, Walgreen's Drug, etc on the fill. Since the water can't go there now, where DO they expect it to go? IMHO (well, IMO), the only thing more stupid than big-city managers and commissioners is small-town managers and commissioners. All they think about is the tax money they're going to make. I guess they expect someone else to clean up the mess afterward. It certainly won't be out of THEIR pockets, and I'll bet none of the city commissioners live on low ground.

Sue