Interstate 78 is now open after 11 multi-vehicle accidents involving five tractor trailers closed both west and east bound lanes in Berks County Tuesday morning. Freezing rain created rapidly forming ice patches on roadways.
State Police Reading Trooper David Beohm reported there were a total of 11 vehicle accidents on I-78 between 7:30 and 8 a.m. There were a total of five tractor trailers involved. Out of the 11 accidents, 10 involved vehicles that needed to be towed.
“There were no significant injuries in any of these crashes,” said Beohm. “All of these crashes happened relatively around the same time.”
“Freezing rain across stretches of Pennsylvania created rapidly forming ice patches and PennDOT crews continue to monitor the interstates and other routes and treat as needed,” said Ronald J. Young, Jr., M.P.A., PA Department of Transportation. “Before the freezing rain started, message boards along Interstate 78 were activated urging motorists to use caution and lower speeds. The pavement had been treated beforehand.”
Young reported that all lanes were closed on I-78 west between exits 40 (PA 737) in Krumsville & 35 (PA 143) in Lenhartsville due to a multi-vehicle crash involving multiple tractor-trailers.
“Right now one lane is open on I-78 east between exits 23 (Shartlesville) and 29 (PA 61) where there is a multi-vehicle crash involving multiple tractor-trailers,” said Ronald J. Young, Jr., M.P.A., PA Department of Transportation. “Crews estimate the other lane will be open in two to four hours.”
Beohm reported there were three separate accidents at mile marker 9.1 westbound in Bethel, two crashes at mile marker 25 westbound in Upper Bern Township, two crashes at 26.3 eastbound in Tilden Township, and four crashes at mile marker 35 to 36.3 in Greenwich Township. The two accident scenes at mile marker 26.3 in Tilden Township involved four tractor trailers.
“That one took the most to clean up,” said Beohm.
That section of 78 was reduced to one lane of travel during clean up but Beohm believes both lanes should be open soon.
Beohm advised drivers pay attention to winter weather conditions and road conditions.
“Slow down, pay attention and keep safe following distance,” said Beohm. “If you can, stay home. It doesn’t take long for it to get icy. It’s not going to take much to crash and clog up those two lanes.”
Young recommended motorists check conditions on more than 40,000 roadway miles, including color-coded winter conditions on 2,900 miles, by visiting www.511PA.com. 511PA, which is free and available 24 hours a day, provides traffic delay warnings, weather forecasts, traffic speed information and access to more than 770 traffic cameras.
511PA is also available through a smartphone application for iPhone and Android devices, by calling 5-1-1, or by following regional Twitter alerts accessible on the 511PA website.
Follow PennDOT on Twitter at www.twitter.com/PennDOTNews and like the department on Facebook at www.facebook.com/PennsylvaniaDepartmentofTransportation.
