BETHLEHEM TWP., Pa. — Route 22 was fully reopened Wednesday afternoon, about four hours after a dump truck overturned, spilling asphalt and shutting down both sides of the highway, state police said.
The crash shortly after 11 a.m. initially affected the highway traffic in both directions; the eastbound lanes reopened at 1:30 p.m. and the westbound lanes at 3 p.m., Pennsylvania State Police Trooper Nathan Branosky said.
“It has the potential to cause traffic delays in the evening commute and we’re already seeing secondary roads affected,” Branosky said early on.
The trouble started when the westbound truck crashed at 11:08 a.m. in Bethlehem Township between the Route 191 and Route 512 exits, Branosky said.
The dump truck hit the concrete jersey barrier between the opposing lanes; debris from the barrier and the asphalt struck two eastbound vehicles, Branosky said.
The truck driver was taken to a local hospital with unspecified injuries, he said. No other injuries were reported.
Eastbound traffic was diverted onto Route 512 in Hanover Township, Northampton County. Westbound traffic was detoured onto Route 191.
Branosky recommended finding alternate routes and following 511pa.com for updated traffic conditions.