Crane topples, blocking I-70 in Maryland

Eastbound traffic on Interstate 70 in Washington County, Maryland, was shut down Friday after a crane fell in a construction zone, blocking all lanes.

The crane crash at the 36th mile marker near Crystal Falls Drive past Maryland Route 66 was reported by state police at 8:48 a.m., with a detour put in place at the 32nd mile marker before U.S. Route 40 by 9:10 a.m.

As of 10:55 a.m., the detour and the road blockage were still in place, according to the Maryland State Highway Administration.

Some vehicles, mainly tractor-trailers and box trucks, were waved through at 11 a.m., according to the Hagerstown Herald-Mail. Passenger cars were still being diverted.

A car traveling on I-70 when the crash happened was damaged, with the driver making it to a rest area farther down the road. It is unclear if the damage was caused by a strike from the crane or from the driver swerving, Washington County Emergency Service Director R. David Hays told the Herald-Mail.

Mr. Hays also noted the crane operator was able to escape the falling equipment. The man jumped out and suffered only a minor ankle injury.

Maryland State Police did not say whether any injuries occurred as a result of the crane crashing.

The toppled crane was part of a project to replace the I-70 bridges over Crystal Falls Drive in both directions. Whereas the old bridges dating to 1966, were three-span and made of concrete, the new infrastructure will be single steel girder bridges, with better stormwater management and updated traffic signage, according to the Maryland Department of Transportation.

As of last August, when work began, the project was expected to take until the summer of 2025 and cost $26.8 million. 

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