LOVELAND, Colo. (KDVR) – UPDATE (3:04 p.m.): Northbound Interstate 25 has reopened for traffic. CDOT says “some of the fuel seeped through the pavement and affected the subsurface, which meant that the affected areas had to be milled down and repaved, especially on the northbound section.”

Southbound I-25 near Loveland opened around 2 p.m. after the interstate was closed for more than 36 hours when a diesel tanker crashed and spilled more than 11,000 gallons of fuel onto the interstate.

The Colorado Department of Transportation said Sunday that northbound traffic is expected to be open in a few hours as crews continue to pave and restripe those lanes. US 85 and US 287 remain the best detours while the closure is in place.

Around 1 a.m. Saturday morning, the semi-tanker crashed, causing it to roll over on its side, hit a concrete barrier, and burst into flames. The 67-year-old male driver of the truck was transported to a local hospital with unknown injuries.

CDOT was forced to close I-25 in both directions so that crews could remove the tanker and start on a fuel cleanup that involved CDOT, local fire authorities, contractors and the Environmental Protection Agency.

Much of those cleanup duties involved ongoing issues to ensure the fuel does not contaminate the Big Thompson River. The EPA and others were stationed in the southbound lanes until earlier Sunday when an off-road staging area was created. This allowed CDOT to pave and restripe the southbound lanes.

Some of the fuel seeped through the pavement and affected the subsurface, which meant that the affected areas had to be milled down and repaved, especially on the northbound section. Crews are finishing up that work and expect to have it complete and the northbound section open in a few hours before this evening’s storm hits.

Snow is expected beginning around 5 p.m. in Loveland with 1 to 3 inches forecast.