OPP advises of lane closures for removal of crashed transport on Highway 401

The morning of Tuesday, Jul. 4, 2023, got off to a busy start for emergency responders after a tractor trailer crashed on Highway 401 west of Highway 38/Gardiners Road.

At approximately 6:30 a.m., Kingston Fire and Rescue, the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP), and Frontenac Paramedics responded to the single vehicle collision, which occurred just west of the Gardiners Road overpass. There, a transport truck had driven into the centre median, a marshy grass divider.

“Investigation revealed that the tractor trailer was in the westbound lanes and had a tire blow out, causing the driver to lose control and enter the center median area where it came to rest,” the Frontenac County Detachment of the OPP said in a press release just after 10:30 a.m.

“The driver was uninjured.”

While the section of the highway affected passes through a marshy area, police said “no leaks or spills have been detected.” The tractor trailer was left in the centre median area, where it will remain until later in the evening of July 4 when it can be removed, according to police.

Motorists are being advised that there will be a planned lane closure in order to carry out the removal of the truck. Police said the eastbound side of Highway 401 will be closed in the area approximately 500 metres west of the Gardiners Road exit (Exit 611) beginning around 8 p.m.

“The left lane and shoulder will be closed to facilitate the removal of the tractor trailer unit,” the OPP said.

“There will be very brief full closures as well (approximately 15 – 20 minutes in duration) to assist the towing and recovery service to maneuver their equipment into place.”

The lane closure is expected to last two to three hours in total, police said, noting that their investigation into the crash is ongoing at this time, and investigators have not yet determined if charges will be laid.

This article will be updated if/when more information becomes available.