Not The Ben Again! Overturned Truck Cripples Morning Rush Into Center City
By Ed Fischer and David Madden
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- For the second time in less than a month, an overturned tractor-trailer was paralyzing the flow of traffic coming off the Benjamin Franklin Bridge into Center City Philadelphia.
This morning's accident took out the two left lanes of the ramp coming from the westbound Ben Franklin Bridge onto the Vine Street Expressway.
Two people were reportedly taken to Hahnemann University Hospital after the crash, which happened about 6 a.m.
Traffic was backed up across the bridge and beyond the toll plaza on the New Jersey side of the bridge. Drivers were being encouraged to take a different bridge heading into the city.
Speed restrictions were already in place on the bridge due to the weather.
The overturned truck was righted before 9 a.m., but the two lefthand lanes remained blocked as emergency crews completed the cleanup.
On March 19th, a tractor-trailer carrying a load of kiwi fruits overturned in the same spot. It took crews most of the day to offload the cargo and get the truck uprighted.
Because it seems likely that speed was a factor in both truck flips, DRPA boss John Hanson said later this morning he wants to address that issue.
"I've asked our chief of police to step up enforcement on the speed limit, and also truck enforcement," he told KYW Newsradio.
The posted limit is on the bridge is usually 45 mph (although it can be set lower via the electronic signs due to weather or other factors). On the eastbound side, the posted speed limit lowers to 20 mph as you enter Camden. Hanson says they'll look into why there isn't a similar speed limit as traffic reaches the sharp curve at the Philadelphia end of the bridge.
For the latest traffic updates listen to "Traffic and Transit on the Twos" on KYW Newsradio, or CLICK HERE.