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Turnpike Commission Apologizes For Massive Backup During Storm

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) – While the cause of the massive backup on the Pennsylvania Turnpike over the weekend is known, it could take weeks to figure out what went wrong resolving it.

The Turnpike Commission said it all started Friday night when two tractor-trailers were driving side by side, in a construction zone.

The big rigs collided, which caused traffic behind them to stop completely.

According to the Post-Gazette, the truck in the right lane should not have been there. Trucks are supposed to travel in left lanes only through construction zones.

As a result of the crash and weather, the Turnpike was not fully reopened until Sunday afternoon.

The Turnpike Commission's chairman is looking into what can be done to make sure this sort of backup won't happen again.

Sean Logan joined the "KDKA Morning News" with Larry Richert and John Shumway to talk about the major delays and said he is not happy about it.

"I want to take the opportunity to apologize to all the motorists who were stranded. Nobody should have to endure what they endured over a day-and-a-half on any road, let alone in Pennsylvania and let alone a road that you actually pay for," said Logan.

Logan said there are "a lot of issues at play here" as to the cause of the massive backup , but they believe a couple tractor-trailers jackknifed in a tight place along the road. That made it difficult for emergency crews to reach the accident.

Logan promised that authorities, "Will do an A to Z review of it, about the notification of it, about the weather alerts."

Because of the crash, many were left stranded on the Turnpike for 30 hours.

One driver, Richard Simpson, had the pleasure of staring at the rear end of a tractor-trailer on the Pennsylvania Turnpike for hours on end.

"I entered the Turnpike there and it just came to a standstill," he said. "We just weren't going anywhere and I figured something was going on up ahead. You talk to the truckers and they have the CBs. And they're telling you, 'Oh yeah, there's a lot of tractors that jackknifed just before the Allegheny Tunnel.'"

While he was stuck for a mere 16 hours, others on the Turnpike were stranded for more than 30.

"After being stuck on the Pennsylvania Turnpike for 16 hours and then being rerouted to almost go back to where I started and they charge me a toll to get off the tollway," he said.

The Turnpike Commission said they were waiving tolls for a period of time over the weekend, but Simpson said he wasn't afforded that convenience. The $2.95 toll he was charged may not be much, but it was like salt in a wound.

"It was kind of adding insult to injury," Simpson said. "You really are kidding me that you're going to charge me a toll to get off of this. I mean, I didn't get anywhere. She said, 'Well, you made it from Breezewood to Bedford. So, we're going to charge you that toll.'"

Turnpike Commission spokesman Carl Defebo said they want to make this right and are hoping to get in contact with Simpson to talk about possible restitution.

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