Blue Route traffic: NB lanes of I-476 reopen in Lower Merion after multi-vehicle crash
LOWER MERION, Pa. (CBS) -- One person was killed in a multi-vehicle crash that caused a significant impact on the Monday morning commute on the Blue Route. The accident happened shortly before 5 a.m. in the northbound lanes of Interstate 476, between the Villanova and Conshohocken exits, in Lower Merion Township.
All northbound lanes between Route 30 and the Conshohocken exit were closed. Shortly after 12 p.m., the lanes reopened.
Officials say one person was killed. Four other people were taken to the hospital. There's no word on their conditions.
It's unclear how the accident started.
Chopper 3 showed a jackknifed truck with a damaged SUV behind it. A white passenger van that was apparently towing a U-Haul trailer is off in the woods.
Debris were scattered all over the roadway. Officials say a significant amount of fuel spilled out onto the highway as well.
More than 100,000 drivers travel this stretch of I-476 every day. The crash had a major ripple effect on Monday's commute.
Dale Fredrickson was stuck in the traffic caused by the accident after he left his home in Lebanon County at 7:30 a.m. bound for Philadelphia International Airport
"We should actually be home by now," Fredrickson said. "We've been driving around Philadelphia trying to get out of it, so it's been pretty bad."
Fredrickson and his family took a break at the King of Prussia Service Plaza. They were still nearly 60 miles from where they live, and not expected to get home until the early afternoon.
"We're just stopping to take a break, and then we're going to head for home," Fredrickson said.
Pennsylvania State Police are investigating.
