TRAFFIC ALERT: I-30 backup caused by tow company's 'unauthorized lane closure'

The Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department said this "unauthorized lane closure" caused major backups during Thursday afternoon's rush hour.
The Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department said this "unauthorized lane closure" caused major backups during Thursday afternoon's rush hour.

UPDATE:

Significant delays on Interstate 30 Thursday afternoon were caused by an "unauthorized lane closure," a spokesman for the Arkansas State Department of Highway and Transportation said.

Danny Straessle said a towing company closed a lane to remove a truck that had been involved in a wreck earlier. But Straessle said the towing company did not alert authorities and should not have closed the lane without involvement from law enforcement, especially at rush hour.

"It was not a proper lane closure," he said. "We pretty much told them to close it down and let rush hour get through. We had no idea this was going on."

The wreck caused major delays on westbound I-30 as well as Interstate 440. Straessle said the company, whose name he did not know, would be required to work with law enforcement to set up a proper lane closure to remove the truck at a later time.

The Arkansas Online live traffic map continued to show big delays after 4:30 p.m. Stopped traffic at that point stretched all the way from the area to North Little Rock.

UPDATE:

A spokesman for the Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department said shortly after 4:10 p.m. that two lanes have opened on Interstate 30.

Danny Straessle said the outside lane remained closed as crews worked to remove a truck that was involved in a wreck earlier in the day.

The Arkansas Online live traffic map showed significant delays on I-30 and on Interstate 440.

EARLIER:

Part of Interstate 30 in Little Rock is blocked Thursday afternoon while crews remove a truck from a ditch.

The Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department said on Twitter shortly before 4 p.m. that westbound lanes of the highway at the 65th Street exit were shut while tow trucks removed a "large 18-wheeler in the ditch."

Further details, including how long the lanes were likely to be closed, were not immediately released.

The Arkansas Online live traffic map showed significant backups in the area.

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