A crash where a man walking in and out of traffic was struck and killed forced all traffic off the northbound Northeast Extension of the Pennsylvania Turnpike throughout the Thursday morning commute.
Multiple vehicles struck the man along Interstate 476 at mile marker 46.4 in Lower Milford Township, Lehigh County, around 4:30 a.m., Pennsylvania State Police said. It was unclear why that unidentified man was on the roadway a couple miles north of the Quakertown interchange (Exit 44).
Traffic quickly backed up for more than 1 mile as troopers forced all drivers off at the Quakertown exit as the road was closed to the Lehigh Valley Interchange (Exit 56).
The road remained closed hours later. Route 309 and even Route 611 were used as alternate routes for drivers looking to avoid the backup on the turnpike, NBC10 First Alert Traffic reporter Sheila Watko said.
The roadway finally reopened around 10 a.m., the Pennsylvania Turnpike tweeted.
Troopers said they were initially called to the scene for reports of someone walking in and out of traffic and found the man dead at the scene when they arrived.
They asked anyone who may have information about the deadly incident to call the state police Fogelsville barracks at 610-395-1438.
