12 injured when trash truck overturns on outbound side of Lincoln Tunnel, causing traffic nightmare
UNION CITY, New Jersey (WABC) -- Multiple people were injured when a sanitation truck went out of control, crashed through guardrails and overturned in the westbound lanes of Route 495 in Union City Wednesday afternoon.
The crash involving multiple vehicles happened around 1 p.m. off the Palisade Avenue overpass and brought traffic to a halt.
Apparently, the Department of Public Works truck lost control on 32nd Street and slammed into several vehicles before going over the edge of the road.
A witness said the truck teetered like a seesaw before it finally fell onto the highway.
At least seven people were taken to Jersey City Medical Center, one to Palisades Meridian Health, and four to Hoboken University Medical Center. They were all said to be in stable condition.
Crews were able to upright the garbage truck around 5:30 p.m. and clear it from the scene by 7 p.m.
Outbound Lincoln Tunnel traffic was closed for hours after the crash but reopened once the truck was removed six hours later. Cleanup crews continued to clear the scene into Thursday morning.
The crash prompted massive delays for all types of commuters throughout the area.
The incident caused gridlock in Manhattan during rush hour, and traffic on the New York side of the Holland Tunnel was backed up for hours the approach backed up all the way to Times Square.
"The biggest thing is to make sure the roadway is safe, that the bridge is intact, New Jersey DOT is in place to make sure that is in fact the case and as soon as we can get the accident cleared up we can open up the roadway, but we're working diligently to make that happen but we have to make sure that safety is of the utmost importance," said Emilio Gonzalez with Port Authority Police.
Officials suspended bus service from the Port Authority Bus Terminal for several hours, but limited service later resumed.
NJ Transit Rail, PATH, and NY Waterways cross-honored tickets for bus passengers. NY Waterways experienced high passenger volumes, and delays were reported on all routes.
Due to the closure at Port Authority, commuters experienced overcrowded conditions at Penn Station and on trains as well.
It is not yet clear what sparked the crash, but witnesses said the driver's brakes failed.
The Hudson County Prosecutor's Office is leading the investigation.
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