Long Island Expressway delays after crash near Cross Island Parkway

Almost three hours after an early-morning crash brought westbound morning rush-hour traffic on the Long Island Expressway to a standstill Wednesday, the wreck has been cleared and traffic is moving once again.

As of 9 a.m., traffic cameras showed the eastern end of that jam — near Glen Cove Road — was still slow to move, with cars, trucks and tractor-trailers still at near-standstill. But traffic was moving well through the area near the initial crash scene, which occurred by the Cross Island Parkway.

The incident began just before 6 a.m. and was cleared at about 8:45 a.m., according to traffic cameras on the state Department of Transportation's 511 NY website.

The DOT said the crash forced the closure of three of four westbound lanes at Exit 31, the Cross Island Parkway, at 5:57 a.m. Traffic cameras on the 511 NY site showed a massive traffic jam that snarled traffic, bumper-to-bumper, from the Queens line east.

The NYPD said preliminary reports indicated there were no serious injuries in the accident, but could provide no additional details, including what types of vehicles were involved.

The 511 NY site traffic cameras in the area showed rescue equipment on scene as of 8:15 a.m., as well as a heavy-duty tow truck, and showed that just after 8 a.m. responders had been able to open the two righthand lanes to allow some of the snarled traffic to pass.

Making matters worse for commuters was that a stalled car at Exit 28, Francis Lewis Boulevard, was causing an additional jam in that area, little more than a mile west of the major jam.

As of 8:45 a.m. that car had been moved and that jam also cleared.

By John Valenti

john.valenti@newsday.com

John Valenti, a reporter at Newsday since 1981, has been honored nationally by the Associated Press and Society of the Silurians for investigative, enterprise and breaking news reporting, as well as column writing, and is the author of “Swee'pea,” a book about former New York playground basketball star Lloyd Daniels. Valenti is featured in the Emmy Award-winning ESPN 30-for-30 film “Big Shot.”