Route 50 reopens after propane tanker overturns on Severn River Bridge

A tanker truck carrying propane overturned on westbound U.S. 50 on the Severn River Bridge, shutting down that bridge span in Anne Arundel County, Maryland, for seven hours Monday.

The highway in Annapolis reopened just before noon. The accident occurred before 4:43 a.m.



overturned tanker
A tanker overturned on the Severn River Bridge on Monday, Nov. 14, 2022. (Courtesy Anne Arundel County Fire Department)

According to the Maryland Department of Transportation State Highway Administration, crews had to upright the tanker and burn off the 10,000 pounds of propane the truck is carrying.

Both spans of the bridge closed around 6 a.m., and that lasted a little over an hour before eastbound lanes reopened.

Throughout the morning, westbound U.S. 50 was diverted at northbound Maryland Route 2.

Because of the accident, Anne Arundel County Public Schools said, all Broadneck cluster schools operated virtually on Monday.

The overturned tanker is hauling propane. (Courtesy Anne Arundel County Fire Department)
Colleen Kelleher

Colleen Kelleher is an award-winning journalist who has been with WTOP since 1996. Kelleher joined WTOP as the afternoon radio writer and night and weekend editor and made the move to WTOP.com in 2001. Now she works early mornings as the site's Senior Digital Editor.

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