Traffic along a portion of Interstate 70 halted Friday morning after a construction crane crashed onto the eastbound part of the road in Washington County, Maryland.
Officials with the Maryland Department of Transportation said the agency has been working on a bridge replacement project located over Crystal Falls Drive.
A crane in that area fell onto the roadway just after 8:30 a.m., according to a spokesperson with the Maryland State Police. The construction crane, which reportedly rolled over, blocked all eastbound lanes, forcing the closure of I-70 around mile marker 32.
“According to a preliminary investigation, a silver Honda traveling east on the highway subsequently crashed into the crane. The occupants were not injured,” police said in an email.
Officers said the crane operator was taken to a nearby medical center in Hagerstown, Maryland, for treatment of his injuries. The extent of the crane operator’s injuries have not been confirmed.
State police and fire officials worked to redirect traffic from I-70 to Routes 66 and 40 to ease the traffic impact caused by the fallen crane. State troopers said all lanes reopened about four hours after the closure began. WTOP Traffic reported that all lanes reopened around 1:30 p.m., but there may still be residual backups from the closure.
