After a sweep of the Blakeslee Junction homeless encampment began on Tuesday, a Chronicle journalist was escorted off the site on Thursday afternoon following a Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) order restricting access to the camp by “non-essential” people.
A video of that interaction can be viewed here.
In an email sent at 12:20 p.m. on Thursday, a WSDOT Southwest Region administrator asks that the Centralia Police Department “address any concerns” as crews would be bringing equipment to and from the encampment throughout the day.
When The Chronicle’s photographer visited the encampment for ongoing coverage of the sweep, a trooper with the Washington State Patrol advised that he was no longer allowed.
“The coming and going of unauthorized persons is a safety concern and is impeding our ability to complete the cleanup operations,” stated the WSDOT email. “Please cooperate and allow those that know this work, perform this work.”
Kelly Hanahan, a spokesperson for WSDOT, called The Chronicle after this incident and stated that media are allowed to visit the location if advance notice is given to a public information officer.
This is a “new policy,” Hanahan said. “Starting today.”
The trooper also advised that former occupants of the encampment who leave will not be welcomed back.
Hanahan was not aware of whether service providers beyond the Salvation Army were allowed on the site to conduct business.
