Multiple crashes on highway heading toward Columbia causes traffic jams for commuters
Two crashes caused delays for drivers heading toward Columbia on the Tuesday morning commute.
The first crash was near the area caused Malfunction Junction. Multiple eastbound lanes on Interstate 26 were blocked following the collision that happened at about 7 a.m., according to the South Carolina Department of Transportation.
The wreck was near Exit 106 in Lexington County, which is the junction with Saint Andrews Road. It’s a mile from the Richland County line.
No injuries were reported by the South Carolina Department of Public Safety, but an ambulance was among the emergency vehicles that responded to the scene, traffic cameras showed.
Vehicles were backed up for more than a mile on I-26, traffic cameras showed.
Information on what caused the collision, and the number of vehicles involved, was not available.
The crash scene was cleared at about 8 a.m., just moments after another collision was reported 2 miles down the road on I-26, according to SCDOT.
Two eastbound lanes were blocked by the collision near Exit 108, which is the junction with U.S. 126.
This second wreck caused vehicles heading toward downtown Columbia to be backed up more than 6 miles on I-26.
No injuries were reported in the second collision, according to the South Carolina Department of Public Safety.
Information on when all lanes of I-26 would be reopened was not available.
This is a developing story, check back for updates.
BEHIND THE STORY
MOREThis is a breaking news story
In a breaking news situation, facts can be unclear and the situation may still be developing. The State is trying to get important information to the public as quickly and accurately as possible. This story will be updated as more information becomes available, and some information in this story may change as the facts become clearer. Refresh this page later for more updated information.
This story was originally published July 20, 2021 at 7:27 AM.
