An 18-wheeler accident on Interstate 55 has created significant delays and road closures in the area, according to multiple reports from the scene. As Action News 5 reported, the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) confirmed that the crash, which involved an 18-wheeler near Third Street on I-55, occurred around 9:09 a.m. and resulted in the blocking of all northbound lanes.
Adding to the traffic woes, FOX13 Memphis states that the jackknifed trailer struck a guardrail causing a significant reduction in traffic flow, now constrained to one lane, with the congestion stretching all the way to the I-240 interchange while TDOT cameras showed the site of the crash raising concerns on the morning commute.
Similarly, WREG echoes the other reports stating a tractor-trailer jack-knifed and hit the center wall around the same time as the earlier reported incidents, with no injuries being reported, drivers found a respite by navigating around the wreck on the shoulder, momentarily escaping the grasp of the standstill.
Police have not yet reported on the cause of the incident nor whether any charges have been filed, the disruption caused by the accident has had an undeniable ripple effect on the morning's traffic throughout Memphis disrupting the flow for thousands of commuters who found themselves caught in the stationary sea of vehicles looking for alternate routes; yet despite the extensive holdups, thankfully no injuries have been reported at this time.
