A 26-year-old motorcyclist from Millville died after a crash on the Walt Whitman Bridge on Thursday, authorities said, turning the evening commute into a standstill and leaving investigators with more questions than answers.
Emergency crews shut the Philadelphia-bound lanes while responders worked the scene, and the rider was taken to an area hospital, where he later died of his injuries. The shutdown backed up traffic on I-76 for hours as officials cleared the wreckage and tried to get traffic moving again.
As reported by NJ.com, the crash happened in the Philadelphia-bound lanes near Gloucester City when the motorcycle collided with a vehicle. The Delaware River Port Authority said the rider's identity was not immediately available and that investigators were still working to determine what happened. State police likewise located the crash in Gloucester City, according to the report.
Bridge, Traffic and Response
The Walt Whitman Bridge carries I-76 across the Delaware River between South Philadelphia and Gloucester City and is maintained by the Delaware River Port Authority. The span is one of the busiest crossings linking New Jersey and Philadelphia, so even short closures on the bridge can trigger long backups on the Schuylkill Expressway and surrounding interchanges, the agency notes.
DRPA police and bridge crews typically handle traffic control and emergency response on the span, and Thursday's crash was no exception, with local drivers stuck in long delays while authorities worked the scene.
Investigation Underway
State police and DRPA police are investigating the collision and have not released additional details about the other vehicle involved, officials said. As NJ.com reports, investigators have not announced whether any charges will result and the inquiry remains active.
Officials have not released the rider’s name and said the investigation remains ongoing. We will update this story as authorities share more information.
