On the radio they called it a 12 mile backup. The accident at Mounts Road between Dupont and the Nisqually River on Southbound I-5 has commuters scrambling for alternate routes.

Pacific Avenue in Parkland and Spanaway is packed and cars are hardly moving at the lights. If you need to get to Spanaway or point south, take Waller Road or possibly Canyon Road.

ST Express routes 574, 586, 590, 592, 594, and 595 will experience major delays  during the afternoon commute due to the accident on I-5 between Mounts Rd  and Tacoma as well.

Good luck tonight commuters.

The story is that a pickup truck that was north bound near Mounts Road crossed the median into the south bound lanes. It hit a panel truck that spun, caught fire and struck a semi and probably other cars also. This was a t 10 am and they are still cleaning up. There is only one south bound lane on I-5 at Mounts Road. It was a fatality accident.

Update from WSDOT:

Cleared Heavy Traffic I-5 southbound

Cleared 11:04 pm
Previous Message: Heavy traffic is causing backups and possible delays on I-5 southbound from milepost 129 near Tacoma City Limits to milepost 117 near Mounts Rd / Old Nisqually Rd.