GREEN RIVER, Wyo. — Behind the wheel of a semi truck on February 14, it didn’t take long for Michael Gabbard to realize something was wrong as he approached the Green River, Wyoming tunnels on Interstate 80.
“One of the most tragic things that I've come up on in the 45 years I've been driving a truck,” said Gabbard on Wednesday.
Based in Indianapolis, Gabbard drives through Green River weekly en route to Salt Lake City. He was traveling eastbound on Valentines Day when traffic came to a standstill near the tunnels, with thick black smoke coming out of the westbound tunnel.
"You're sitting there ... just like, a few 100 feet from the tunnel, and you know, there's people inside there that you can’t, nobody can help them,” said Gabbard.
The 26-vehicle crash caused by wet and icy road conditions involved several semi-trailers and cost three people their lives, while 18 others were injured.
Traffic in both directions has been funneled through the eastbound tunnel since the incident, but with winter on the horizon, the Wyoming Department of Transportation believes repair work has reached a point where the westbound side can reopen by the end of next month.
WATCH: Drone video shows devastation left behind in Wyoming tunnel:
"In the wintertime, when we are looking at road conditions, [it] can be hard for drivers, and we wanted to get the traffic moving directionally through there, through the winter, and then we'll wrap up the project in the spring,” explained Wyoming Department of Transportation spokesperson Stephanie Harsha.
Engineers will also assess what kind of additional safety measures can be taken to prevent another tragedy.
"They're looking at all those different kinds of infrastructure, safety infrastructure, everything from the lighting and a lot of the things inside the tunnel to safety precautions like some sort of warning system,” added Harsha.
With the news of the tunnel reopening, Gabbard figures his life on the road will be easier, but at the same time, it gives him pause.
"It’s gonna be a lot better, with the traffic and all," he said, "but it's gonna be an eerie feeling driving through there, knowing that tragic accident happened in that tunnel."
