Southbound Interstate 71 near Dana Avenue in Cincinnati shut down early Friday morning after a multi-vehicle crash that left at least one car flipped onto its side. The closure began around 5:25 a.m., snarling the start of the morning commute for drivers heading toward downtown.
All southbound lanes on I-71 near Dana Avenue were closed due to the crash, according to wlwt.com. The outlet reported that multiple vehicles appeared to be involved, including at least one vehicle that was turned onto its side, and that traffic was being diverted off the interstate at Dana Avenue as crews worked the scene.
Cincinnati police told the station that officers had arrived on scene, while FOX19 reported that fire officials said one person was taken to University of Cincinnati Medical Center. A separate report from local12.com placed the crash around 5:25 a.m. on I-71 southbound beyond Dana Avenue, noting that an OHGO traffic camera image showed an overturned car sitting in the lanes.
Scene Near Victory Parkway
According to FOX19, police responded to reports of a crash with a possible ejection, and the scene near Victory Parkway included one car resting on its side and another car that had crashed into a guardrail. The station reported that police said a third vehicle may also be involved in the crash.
FOX19 reported that first responders said the highway would likely remain closed through the morning commute, with no determined time for it to reopen. The extent of the backup and how long drivers were rerouted off the interstate was not detailed beyond the diversion at Dana Avenue.
Not the First Southbound Shutdown This Stretch Has Seen
This is not the first time this stretch of southbound I-71 has ground to a halt. In an earlier incident, a semi-truck crash near Gilbert Avenue just outside downtown Cincinnati caused major backups and shut down the highway before all southbound lanes eventually reopened, per the same wlwt.com account. It was unclear in that case whether the semi had struck a wall or had been hit by another vehicle that then fled the scene, and traffic moved slowly toward the Lytle Tunnel for much of that morning as crews cleared the roadway.
As of Friday morning, the cause of the latest crash near Dana Avenue and the number of vehicles ultimately involved remained unclear. Drivers heading south on I-71 toward downtown Cincinnati should expect delays and plan alternate routes until officials provide an update on when the highway will reopen.
