Chesapeake Bay Bridge closed for several hours after multi-vehicle crash

A multi-vehicle crash closed all lanes of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge on Saturday, snarling traffic for more than five hours, authorities said.

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The bridge’s westbound span reopened at about 2 p.m. EST, The Baltimore Sun reported. The crash occurred at about 8 a.m., according to the newspaper.

Officials with the Maryland Transportation Authority said that 23 vehicles were involved in the chain-reaction crash on the westbound span of the bridge, WBAL-TV reported. Officials added that an additional 20 vehicles were involved in secondary crashes, according to WBFF-TV.

While the westbound lanes were closed, police alternated traffic on the bridge’s eastbound span, according to the television station.

Two people were taken to area hospitals with serious injuries, WBAL reported. Eleven other people were hospitalized; none of the vehicles were believed to be life-threatening, according to the television station.

Earlier Saturday, the Kent Island Volunteer Fire Department wrote in a Facebook post that volunteers responded to the multi-vehicle crash on the westbound span and advised motorists to avoid the area.

The highway, also known as the William Preston Lane Jr. Memorial Bridge, is part of U.S. 50/301 and crosses Chesapeake Bay. It connects Maryland’s Eastern Shore with the metropolitan areas of Baltimore, Annapolis and Washington, according to the MDTA’s website.

The cause of the initial crash remains under investigation.

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