Closed highways hinder grocery deliveries

[spindrifter]

By ANDREA JAMES
P-I REPORTER

In terms of grocery delivery, Seattle became an island Thursday.

With Interstate 5 and the three main mountain passes closed for much of Thursday, hundreds of grocery stores were not receiving new food shipments. Most made do with what they had in stock or found creative ways to get deliveries.

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Usually, all the main roads are not closed at the same time, Hutchins said. During past closures of I-5 or the mountain passes, truck drivers were able to use alternative routes.

Grocery customers in Eastern Washington are affected as well, Hutchins said. "It's kind of affecting the entire food chain."

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http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/business/395312_floodbiz09.html

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WSDOT opened one of the mountain passes (east-west route), but others remain closed. The freeway south of Seattle that is the main route to Portland is closed and not expected to re-open for a couple of days due to flooding. Some trucks have been waiting 3 days to move their loads across the state.