All lanes in both directions of Route 3 in Billerica, Massachusetts, reopened Thursday morning after the highway was shut down for hours following a catastrophic rollover crash involving a fuel tanker, according to the Massachusetts Department of Transportation. The ramps from Interstate 495 to Route 3 southbound also reopened.
But some additional lane closures are expected Thursday and overnight to facilitate the cleanup of the fuel spill, MassDOT announced.
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Environmental cleanup is expected to continue until 3 p.m. Thursday and will resume during the overnight hours from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. Friday, necessitating the closure of the left lane and breakdown lane of Route 3 south.
Dashcam video of the crash showed a pick-up truck and a Tesla appearing to clip each other on Wednesday. The pick-up then collided with a fuel tanker truck, which flipped over. Environmental officials said 1,500 gallons of diesel fuel and 9,3000 gallons of gasoline spilled during the crash.
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Route 3 was shut down in both directions as hazmat crews worked to clean up the oil and repair the damage to the pavement.
"Man, I saw the video of that crash from the dashcam and they're lucky it didn't explode, that could have been really bad," said Jim Davenport, who was stuck in traffic.
"Somebody must have cut him off — crazy drivers, you know, I'm on the road all day, you see it all day long," said Betinho Moniz, who drives a cement mixer.
"Yeah, it's frustrating when you want to get home. Hour ride turns into two and half, three," added James Montgomery, who was driving to New Hampshire.
Massachusetts State Police said the driver of the tanker and the driver of one of the other vehicles involved sustained minor injuries.
Performance Trans, Inc., the owner of the tanker truck, said their driver is doing OK but did not have any further comment.
Although all lanes of Route 3 reopened for the Thursday morning commute, MassDOT said lane closures resumed at about 10 a.m. so environmental cleanup could continue. That cleanup will include removing contaminated soil from the median and replacing fuel-soaked pavement. Environmental officials said this is because the gasoline and diesel fuel that spilled can soften pavement, making it unsuitable to drive on.
Hazmat crews will also track the spilled fuel and firefighting foam used during the response through the storm drain system and do their best to mitigate the spread into retention ponds, using vacuum trucks for the work.
The investigation into the cause of the crash is ongoing. State police said Thursday that the evidence at this time indicates that the driver of the tanker "bears no responsibility for causing the crash." The investigation into whether either driver of the other two vehicles involved in the crash should be charged or cited is ongoing.
