Morning commuters faced a host of problems yesterday, as crashes and construction tied up major highways for hours.
Part of Interstate 95 southbound into Baltimore was down to one lane as late as 6:45 a.m. A contractor resurfacing I-95 at the Interstate 895 overpass failed to clear the work zone and open all three lanes by the rush hour as usual because a crash delayed work, authorities said.
Four vehicles were involved in that crash on I-95 southbound at the I-895 split at 5:57 a.m. No one was seriously injured, but the vehicles were moved into the work area so drivers could exchange information. Only one lane was getting through until 6:45 a.m., when a second lane opened. The third lane of the highway opened at 7:15 a.m.
Early morning southbound I-95 traffic was also delayed yesterday by a crash near the exit ramp to state Route 543 near Belcamp in Harford County, said the state police.
About 4:40 a.m., a tractor-trailer, owned by National Freight Co., was southbound when it struck a disabled pickup truck on the shoulder and overturned near the ramp, spilling fuel from the tractor-trailer's saddle tanks. No injuries were reported. Traffic was delayed while fire departments cleaned up the spill and tow trucks removed the vehicles, police said.
One person was killed and nine were injured early yesterday evening when three vehicles collided on southbound I-95 near North East in Cecil County, state police said. Their names were withheld pending notification of relatives. Traffic was disrupted for more than two hours.
About 4:25 p.m., a 1993 Mercury Tracer was northbound when for some reason it crossed the grass median and crashed head-on into two southbound cars, said Tfc. Craig Thomas of the John F. Kennedy Barracks.
Thomas said a male passenger in the Mercury died at the scene and the injured adults were taken to Christiana Hospital in Christiana, Del., and Maryland Shock Trauma Center in Baltimore. Two children were taken to Johns Hopkins Hospital's pediatric intensive care unit. The conditions of the injured were not available.
Meanwhile, commuters into Baltimore from the north are still adjusting to a new traffic pattern on the Jones Falls Expressway. Last week the city closed a southbound lane between the North Avenue and Maryland Avenue exits.
The city is expanding the highway there from three lanes to four. But while the work is done during the next 18 months, only two lanes will be passable. Most of the road work will be done between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m., so most commuters won't see any of it.