Traffic update: Almost 24 hours after helicopter crash, all lanes now open on I-77 in Charlotte
All lanes of southbound Interstate 77 in Charlotte near the site of Tuesday’s fatal helicopter crash re-opened Wednesday before noon after parts of the major highway were closed for almost 24 hours, officials said.
The N.C. Department issued a statement before noon Wednesday that said the right lane that had remained closed, and the entrance ramp to southbound I-77 from Tyvola Road, were re-opened. Traffic had cleared from the area and was running normally, officials said.
“All remaining congestion from a prior incident on I-77 South near Exit 4 (Nations Ford Road), has cleared,” the statement said. “Traffic flow has returned to normal.”
The helicopter crash that happened around 12:20 p.m. Tuesday and left two people dead impacted traffic for almost a full day. Southbound I-77 was closed for several hours Tuesday and drivers were diverted to I-85 and I-485 for hours.
Police and transportation officials expected a high flow of vehicles Wednesday after the lanes re-opened, in advance of Thursday’s Thanksgiving holiday.
Two of the three southbound lanes between the Tyvola Road Exit 5 and the Nations Ford Road exit 4 re-opened around 5 p.m Tuesday. The right hand lane and the ramp were closed into Wednesday as officials worked the crash site.
The crash was alongside the highway, officials with the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department said.
No vehicles on the road were affected, police said.
Hours of southbound blockage
From the time of the crash through the afternoon, drivers were routed around Uptown Charlotte via Interstates 85 and 485.
Two people, meterologist Jason Myers and pilot Chip Tayag, died when the sky 3 helicopter from Charlotte television station WBTV crashed.
The crash caused traffic detours and backups in Charlotte, and traffic slowdowns extend all the way into South Carolina Tuesday, according to departments of transportation cameras in both states.
The crash was in south Charlotte, about five miles north of the South Carolina state line.
I-77 is the main road between Uptown Charlotte and the South Carolina state line.
Check back for updates to this developing story.
This story was originally published November 22, 2022 at 1:31 PM.
