Commuters and drivers alike faced headaches Monday morning after a series of crashes and transit issues knotted up roads and rails in and around New York City.
The troubles on the roads began at about 5 a.m., when a vehicle overturned in a chain-reaction crash on the Brooklyn Bridge in Manhattan, blocking off all lanes on the Brooklyn-bound side. The delays persisted into the morning as the NYPD opened up an investigation into the crash. The bridge reopened at about 8:30 a.m.
Six people were hurt in the crash triggered when a disabled Honda was hit from behind by a Lexus, which was then hit by another car. The Lexus overturned, ejecting a rear-seat passengers.
The person who was ejected was taken to the hospital with serious injuries. Five others were hurt in the crash. The driver of the Lexus was arrested following the crash.
Then, at about 6:30 a.m., a vehicle caught fire in the north tube of the Lincoln Tunnel, causing traffic jams for commuters trying to get from Manhattan to New Jersey. The delays persisted until at least 8:15 a.m., with some commuters heading into Manhattan facing hours topping 1 hour.
The Lincoln Tunnel reopened at about 8:30 a.m., but residual delays were expected.
The problems weren't limited to the region's streets, however. There were early switch problems that caused delays for Amtrak and NJ Transit riders.
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The problems expanded later in the morning, when a train broke down in a Hudson River tube, causing delays topping 30 minutes in and out of Penn Station.
Meanwhile, rush-hour construction on the Queens Boulevard subway line in Queens was expected to cause issues for straphangers who rely on the E, F, M and R lines to get between the borough and Manhattan.
