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SALT LAKE CITY — Wet roads appeared to be a factor in some of Monday's crashes that closed westbound I-80 for several hours and caused early morning delays on southbound I-215.
A semitruck crash on westbound I-80 involving an SUV closed part of the interstate for about three hours, snarling traffic. The truck was entering onto I-80 eastbound from northbound I-215 when the accident happened, Utah Highway Patrol Lt. Tim Kincaid said.
Witnesses told troopers the empty trailer began to whip and the driver lost control. The semitruck went across the eastbound lanes, and then smashed through the cement barriers before hitting the SUV in the westbound lanes, blocking the section of the freeway.
Neither the driver of the truck, nor the two people in the SUV was seriously injured, Kincaid said.
Incident management workers spent hours cleaning up oil from the truck, as well as other debris. The freeway reopened just after 1 p.m.
While UHP troopers are still looking into the exact cause of this crash, the they did say weather was an issue for many drivers today.
"The biggest thing that I've seen today: We've had multiple crashes due to speed — people just need to slow down — and following distance — (drivers should) give themselves enough time to slow down and stop if needed," Kincaid said.
Open! Open! Open! WB I-80 now has the right lanes open at I-215's West Belt but crews remain on the scene doing the final sweep & clean up of this morning's crash. You'll see them on the left where that lane is still closed. pic.twitter.com/Tteqx2KRm8
— Rikki Meece (@KSLRikki) April 30, 2018
The rainy weather and slick road conditions snarled the commute earlier in the day as well.
Another accident also closed the left lane and shoulder of westbound I-80 at 1300 East and caused backups to 2300 East during the morning commute, according to the KSL Traffic Center. All the lanes were temporarily stopped just before 7 a.m., but traffic started flowing again about 15 minutes later.
Plan ahead if you need to get to the @slcairport from downtown #SLC. I-80 WB closed at 1900 W., traffic diverted to Redwood. @KSLAndy@KSLTraffic#emergencytrafficpic.twitter.com/pxus7XG3KR
— KSL Newsradio (@kslnewsradio) April 30, 2018
An unrelated crash occurred about 1 mile east about the same time and closed the right shoulder, causing backed-up traffic from Foothill Boulevard into Sugar House. Another crash on southbound I-215 closed one lane and caused delays between 2300 North and the I-80 west turnoff to the Salt Lake International Airport, KSL Traffic Center reported.
04/30 10:52 AM SR-210 4WD or Chains required
— Alta Central (@AltaCentral) April 30, 2018
Contributing: Caitlin Burchill, KSL TV and Heather Kelly, KSL Newsradio
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Editor's note: We initially spelled "Sugar House" as one word. That has been corrected.
