Debris on Outer Loop causes flats for drivers

Debris scattered across the highway from Alexandria in Virginia to Ritchie-Marlboro Road in Prince George’s County, Maryland, caused problems on the Capital Beltway’s Outer Loop for a number of drivers Tuesday morning.

WTOP Traffic Reporter Jack Taylor reports “upwards of two dozen” drivers had flat tires.

In some cases, the vehicles had more than one flat.

“Be very careful,” Taylor said as the problem was going on, adding that a quarter of the Outer Loop was affected.

The problems began before 5 a.m.

Initially, problems were reported in Prince George’s County from Temple Hills to Largo. Then, reports of problems started coming in from Virginia.

Around 6 a.m., multiple vehicles were on both shoulders of the Woodrow Wilson Bridge with flats. A tractor-trailer was among the vehicles with flats, WTOP Traffic said.

Delays on the Outer Loop dissipated by 7 a.m.

It’s not clear what the debris is and whether the debris in Virginia is the same as the debris in Maryland.

Tina Regester, spokeswoman for the Maryland State Highway Administration, said several vehicles had struck a piece of metal on the Outer Loop near St. Barnabas Road.

WTOP has calls out to the Virginia Department of Transportation.

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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