Commuters abandon buses, walk for kilometres as Spit Bridge crash causes major gridlock
Hundreds of morning commuters were forced to walk along a major roadway after a serious crash on the Spit Bridge left buses stranded in peak-hour gridlock.
NSW
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A serious crash between a truck and a car shut down the Spit Bridge at Mosman on Monday morning, causing a major traffic clutter that left hundreds of bus passengers stranded, with many forced to abandon their vehicles and walk to find alternative transport.
The collision, which occurred just after 7.30am, led to heavy congestion along the Burnt Bridge Creek Deviation, where buses were stuck in gridlock for nearly an hour between Manly Vale and Seaforth.
Passengers, frustrated by the delays, asked drivers to open the doors so they could walk nearly 1km to the intersection of Sydney and Spit Roads in search of alternative routes.
“We were told that buses would take us from there to Manly Wharf so we can catch the ferries to work,” one commuter told this masthead.
“People on buses were saying to the drivers that they needed to get off so they could go to the toilet.”
Video footage captured a long line of passengers walking along the side of the normally 80km/h roadway as they found a way out of the morning chaos.
Meanwhile, emergency crews worked to free a motorist trapped in the wreckage.
Fire and Rescue NSW Superintendent Adam Dewberry said despite the severity of the crash, the driver avoided serious injury.
“It looks like there’s only minor injuries, but we do know that things can deteriorate quickly in these types of crashes,” he told 2GB’s Ben Fordham.
Crews used hydraulic tools to cut through the vehicle, while paramedics worked to stabilise the driver before transporting them to hospital.
All citybound lanes of the Spit Bridge have since reopened, but at its peak traffic was heavily backed up along the Burnt Bridge Creek Deviation into Manly Vale.
Northbound traffic was also congested along Spit and Military Roads.
Authorities urged motorists to avoid the area and instead use the Roseville Bridge and Warringah Road for travel to and from the Northern Beaches.
Adding to morning commuter woes, a separate crash on Warringah Road at Frenchs Forest at 8.10am blocked a westbound lane for about 30 minutes, causing delays stretching back to Allambie Heights.
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Originally published as Commuters abandon buses, walk for kilometres as Spit Bridge crash causes major gridlock
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