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UPDATE: I-84 Now Open After Wreckage Clean Up

MILFORD –Troopers said Interstate 84, near Milford, opened around noon on Saturday after the removal of wreckage from Friday morning’s crashes in Pike Cou...

MILFORD –Troopers said Interstate 84, near Milford, opened around noon on Saturday after the removal of wreckage from Friday morning's crashes in Pike County.

Two wrecks shut down Interstate 84 in both directions Friday morning in Pike County. Three people were taken to the hospital.

The first crash happened in a construction zone between the Milford and Matamoras exits in Pike County. PennDOT says this is the third crash there this week.

This construction zone crash is causing lots of problems on Interstate 84 in Pike County.

Troopers say it all started when this truck loaded with produce went off the road between Milford and Matamoras.

“We had our first crash this morning about 4 a.m. at mile post 46.8 where a tractor-trailer crushed 87 feet of guide rail,” said State Police Lt. Chris Paris.

About an hour later, as traffic backed up, a tractor-trailer crashed into another truck at the Milford exit, crushing the front end.

Vanessa Moya lives right by the interstate and heard what turned into a five-vehicle crash.

“I heard this big bang, but I didn't think anything of it because trucks always bang and when you hit a bump it sounds like that,” said Moya.

The driver was inside what’s left of the cab, pinned for hours while emergency crews used the Jaws of Life to free him.

People who drive I-84 since this construction project began to totally replace the highway are concerned.

“It's like we've been waiting for an accident to happen. The roads are just horrible the way they're quartered off,” said Art Politano of Shohola.

The eastbound lane re-opened hours later, but will close again Saturday morning at 7a.m.

PennDOT says while I-84 is closed for about four hours, they'll be clearing up that big rig that's fully loaded and also repairing all of the guard rail torn up in the crash.

“First thing tomorrow, we're going to take that rig, with two tow trucks, we're going to lift that thing completely up in the air and set it back on it's wheels,” said Joe Korycki of My Place Towing.

The detour will be at the Milford exit, onto Route 6 east to Route 209 north to Matamoras.

Troopers don’t know why this driver went off the road, but say speed was a factor in the second crash.

PennDOT is urging drivers to slow down after seeing three wrecks in this same spot this week.

“55 Miles an hour, you know, we have it posted you're going through a work zone. We've got the signs up. We're telling you to slow down. We're warning people with message boards,” said PennDOT construction project manager Carla Madura.

The driver pinned inside his cab was flown to Geisinger-CMC in Scranton with serious injuries. Two other drivers were taken to the hospital with minor injuries.

The work Saturday could take between three and four hours.

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