Crashes and heavy fog cause NJ Turnpike mess

EAST RUTHERFORD — Crashes, an overturned truck and heavy fog combined to shut down portions of two New Jersey highways on Friday.

Several separate crashes late Friday morning at Exit 15W for Route 3 completely closed the western spur of the New Jersey Turnpike for hours into the afternoon commute.

State Police Sgt. Jeff Flynn said at least one woman was hospitalized because of the crashes.

The closure created large delays from both the north, near the Vince Lombardi Service area, and as far back as Exit 12 in Carteret as all traffic was forced to use the eastern spur. The western spur was reopened to traffic around 6:30 p.m.

Thick, heavy fog led the Turnpike Authority to close the western spur again late Friday night.

New Jersey 101.5 Meteorologist Dan Zarrow said Friday's springlike temperatures in the 60s and the rain moving over the still, cold waters of the Meadowlands were likely to blame for the fog.

"Any time you get a sharp temperature gradient like that, fog is likely," Zarrow said.

Story continues after the tweets

Earlier on Friday, a tractor trailer that overturned on Route 280 eastbound near the Eisenhower Parkway exit around 10 a.m. closed the road into the afternoon. The accident caused extensive damage to a guardrail but police said no one was seriously injured and no other vehicles were involved.

Guard rail repairs continued on Saturday morning.

State Police said the truck spilled its load of trash including many broken bottles.

Delays developed on Route 80 heading east, as well as rubbernecking on the westbound lanes.

Contact reporter Dan Alexander at Dan.Alexander@townsquaremedia.com or via Twitter @DanAlexanderNJ