I-80 Traffic Back to Normal Slowness After Massive Backup

A toppled excavator and a three-vehicle accident created a massive traffic snarl this morning and afternoon on eastbound Interstate 80, the California High Patrol said.

Many drivers, including those hoping for an early July 4th holiday escape, spent more than two hours in the slow-moving crawl. At 4 p.m., the 15-mile stretch between Emeryville and Hercules was reported to take 61 minutes, almost triple the usual 23 minutes, according to 511. org. By 5 p.m., the drive had quickened to 40 minutes. The delay at the peak was reported at three hours.

The backup began shortly before 7 a.m. when an excavator used for highway construction fell over near the Willow Avenue exit in Hercules, said Officer Paulson of the California Highway Patrol. About the same time, a three-vehicle accident nearby, at the Highway 4 intersection with I-80, compounded the mess, Paulson said.

All lanes were reopened at 2:21 p.m., but lingering delays persisted.

No injuries were reported in the traffic accident, Paulson said.