The westbound span of the Bay Bridge in Maryland has reopened, six hours after more than 40 vehicles crashed, closing all westbound lanes and backing up traffic on U.S. Route 50 for miles.
A chain-reaction crash involving 23 vehicles followed by "a series of secondary crashes" involving another 20 happened just before 8 a.m. on the westbound span of the bridge, the Maryland Transportation Authority (MDTA) said in a statement.
Thirteen people were taken to the hospital, including two with serious injuries. None of the injuries are believed to be life-threatening, according to the MDTA.
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The eastbound span, which is two lanes wide, carried all traffic in both directions while authorities investigated for hours and worked to clear the wreckage. Eastbound and westbound traffic alternated on the eastbound span, because "two-way operations are prohibited due to fog/limited visibility," the MDTA said.
The cause of the crash is not yet clear.
Nearly five hours after the crash, Chopper4 could still see cars involved in the pileup clustered together in the middle of the bridge, as emergency responders worked to clear the lanes.
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Travelers should expect "major delays" on and near the bridge, the MDTA said, and "are urged to delay travel across the bridge."
The MDTA said the westbound span reopened just before 2 p.m., and warned that delays remained in both directions.
This is a developing story. Refresh this page for updates.
