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Ohio’s I-71 North Reopens After Eight-Hour Closure Caused by Overnight Crashes

Collisions in the narrow construction zone hospitalized four people, with motorists forced onto lengthy detours

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Overview

  • Two semi-trucks collided just after 10:30 p.m. Wednesday near the PickawayMadison County line, followed by a box truck-car crash nearby.
  • The highway remained closed until 6:50 a.m. Thursday, resulting in more than eight hours of gridlock for stranded motorists.
  • Crews struggled to clear wreckage in reduced-width lanes without shoulders, slowing emergency response and wreck removal.
  • Drivers reported turning off engines to conserve fuel and lacking access to food or restrooms during the prolonged shutdown.
  • Ohio State Highway Patrol reported no fatalities, and detours via State Route 38 to U.S. 62 added up to roughly an hour of extra travel.