I-24 Forced to Close Twice after Semi, Car Collide
By West Kentucky Star Staff
PADUCAH - I-24 in McCracken County had to be closed twice on Wednesday, while highway crews worked for about 12 hours to unload and then recover an overturned semi near Exit 3.
The two-vehicle crash near the 2-mile marker at about 9 am blocked eastbound traffic from Metropolis to Paducah for about three hours. Illinois law enforcement closed I-24 at the Metropolis exit, and passenger vehicles were detoured across the Brookport Bridge.
Paducah Police spoke with the driver of the semi, 63-year-old Joe Henry of Carthage, who told officers that although he saw a car to the left of him and one behind his semi, he thought they were far enough back for him to change lanes. As he began changing lanes, Henry says the car began to speed up in an attempt to pass him. He attempted to swerve back into the right lane, but the car, driven by 70-year-old Lloyd Kidd of Metropolis, ran off the road, into the median, then swerved back onto the highway where the two vehicles collided.
Kidd told officers he noticed the truck changing lanes, and swerved into the median to avoid the collision. He says he drove back onto the highway to avoid hitting a guardrail.
Both men were taken to local hospitals for treatment of their injuries.
Meanwhile, a recovery crew offloaded the truck's cargo of food products by accessing the crash site from the back side of the nearby Pilot Truck Stop. The operation was further complicated by rain, and the fact that the semi was leaking fuel.
After offloading was completed late in the afternoon, I-24 was closed by officials for a second time around 7:15 pm so the semi could be uprighted and recovered.
According to the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, the site was cleared by about 9:30 pm and all lanes were reopened.
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Previous story:
After a crash created a blockage on Eastbound I-24 Wednesday morning, the highway will have to be closed again to allow removal of the damaged semi.
The crash near the 2 mile marker about 9 am stopped and detoured traffic from Metropolis to Paducah for about three hours.
Crews worked through the afternoon to offload the truck's cargo using access from the nearby Pilot Truck Stop. They should complete that work by about 7 pm.
Since the truck is leaking fuel, crews want to remove it as soon as possible. They will close the eastbound lanes of I-24 about 7:30 pm so the recovery crew can begin work. Crews hope to give a one-hour notice before the closure takes place.
There was no estimate given on how long it will take to remove the truck.
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Previous Story:
Eastbound traffic entering Kentucky from Illinois is now moving again after being stopped for about three hours.
Traffic was blocked near the 2 mile marker between Metropolis and Paducah, after a crash involving an overturned semi and another vehicle near the Kentucky end of the Ohio River Bridge.
Vehicles were being re-routed to the U.S. 45 Ohio River Brookport Bridge.
A recovery crew is planning to offload the truck by accessing the crash site from the back side of the nearby Pilot Truck Stop, which will eliminate traffic disruptions during that process. Afterwards, the eastbound lanes of I-24 will likely have to be closed to allow the truck to be pulled up the embankment and removed.
The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet hopes to provide notice about an hour before the truck is removed.
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Original Story:
Eastbound traffic entering Kentucky from Illinois is blocked on I-24, after a crash involving an overturned semi and another vehicle.
The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet says eastbound traffic is shut down at the 2 mile marker. This is just off the Kentucky end of the I-24 Ohio River Bridge between Metropolis and Paducah.
This prevents traffic from crossing the I-24 bridge into Kentucky. Passenger vehicles are being re-routed to the U.S. 45 Ohio River Brookport Bridge. The Brookport Bridge is restricted to a 15-ton load limit, a 9.5 ft. height limit, and an 8 ft vehicle maximum width which prohibits most commercial trucks and all STAA trucks from crossing.
The overturned semi is hauling food products that may have to be offloaded, which officials say could take about three hours.