Tons of sunflower seeds block I-80

The West Grand Avenue on-ramp to eastbound Interstate Highway 80 in West Oakland remained blocked Thursday afternoon after a big rig trailer overturned, spilling 20 tons of organic sunflower seeds onto the roadway, the California Highway Patrol said.

The trailer, the second of a double-trailer rig, was headed onto the eastbound freeway in West Oakland around 11:15 a.m. today when the accident occurred, said CHP Officer Herman Baza.

No one was injured, Baza said, and no other vehicles were involved.

It wasn’t certain this afternoon why the trailer overturned, Baza said, but “it looks like speed may have been a factor,” he said.

No information was available this afternoon about where the sunflower seed load originated, or where it was headed, Baza said.

Cleanup of the on-ramp lanes continued into the afternoon, said Baza, who added that the lanes are expected to reopen between 3:30 and 4:30 p.m..