Updated at 4:01 p.m.
Sections of Interstate 89 that were closed overnight due to flooding in central Vermont are now back open.
Vermont State Police announced around 10:30 a.m. Tuesday that the highway had reopened in both directions between Exit 7 in Berlin and Exit 9 in Middlesex. Public Safety Commissioner Jennifer Morrison confirmed the news during a press conference Tuesday morning in Berlin.
The southbound lanes are open in both directions while only one lane is open northbound in the area of Exit 8 in Montpelier, according to state police.
Flooding caused those sections of the interstate to close overnight.
Crews inspected the roadway in the morning and removed debris from the pavement, state police said. The remaining single-lane closure is due to debris that still needs to be removed from the roadway, state police wrote.
Gov. Phil Scott, speaking at the press conference Tuesday, said the decision to close the interstate came after water was found to be coming off the hillside adjacent to the roadway and onto the interstate.
“It was unfortunate but it was the right thing to do,” the governor said of the interstate closure.
Vermont Transportation Secretary Joe Flynn, also speaking at the press conference, said the decision to open the one northbound lane in the area of Exit 8 in Montpelier was made to allow officials time to continue to work to determine the impact the flooding had on the asphalt on that side of the roadway.
