Van Wyck Expressway in Queens reopens after crash throttles holiday traffic
SkyFOX images show the crash on the Van Wyck Expressway
NEW YORK - A crash on the Van Wyck Expressway in Queens on Friday morning throttled traffic as thousands of drivers attempted their escape from New York City for the Memorial Day holiday weekend.
The right westbound lane remains closed after a crash that happened around 8:30 a.m. near 69th Road in Kew Garden. According to the FDNY, three people were transported to Jamaica Hospital. Their conditions were unknown. The cause of the crash was unclear at the time.
Both lanes had been closed, with officials diverting traffic off the Jewel Ave/69th Road Exit, according to New York 511.
Real-time NYC Traffic Map
AAA said 2.8 million travelers are expected to hit the road this year in New York. The AAA also projects that 43.8 million travelers will travel 50 miles or more from home during the Memorial Day holiday travel period.
"Roads like the Long Island Expressway in Queens, the Cross Bronx Expressway in the Bronx, and the Garden State Parkway South of the Essex Toll plaza will be busy earlier – around late morning," FOX 5 NY's Ines Rosales said.