Malfunctioning gate at Fairchild Air Force Base leads to traffic back up on U.S. Highway 2

U.S. Highway 2 was backed up for about an hour near Fairchild Air Force Base due to a malfunctioning gate at the base’s main entrance.

The malfunction happened sometime around 7:30 a.m., said Washington State Patrol Trooper Jeff Sevigney. Traffic headed westbound was backed up to Rambo Road, and eastbound to Dover Road on Highway 2, he said.

Troopers were on the highway helping to direct traffic and provide traffic control at the traffic light near the entrance, Sevigney said. The Rambo Road gate was open and provided access to the base, which helped alleviate congestion and clear the highway sometime around 8:30 a.m., the WSP reported.

A base spokesman declined to discuss specifics about the gate, citing base safety concerns. The spokesman acknowledged there was backup at the main gate that contributed to traffic spilling out onto the highway.

In a news release, WSP indicated the gate would not be repaired “for at least two days” and that there is a “strong likelihood that traffic will be congested in the same area the next few mornings.”

This story is developing and will be updated.