BRUNSWICK — Two crashes near the Exit 28 onramp on Interstate 295 northbound in Brunswick snarled traffic already backed up due to construction Thursday afternoon.
The crashes were reported at around 3:20 p.m. near mile marker 29 according to Lt. Kyle Tilsley with the Maine State Police.
According to Tilsley, a three-car crash happened as traffic was slowing. One vehicle started to slow as did the vehicle behind the first. A third vehicle rear-ended the second vehicle, pushing it into the first. No one was injured in the crash.
Tilsley said there was a second crash nearby that happened within a few minutes of the other crash involving a car and motorcycle. The car, driven by 18-year-old Brianna Plutchak of Topsham, was slowing in traffic and a motorcycle behind her driven by 58-year-old Jon Mills of Harpswell struck the rear bumper of the car.
According to Brunswick Police Cmdr. Tom Garrepy who responded to the crash, Mills was transported to Maine Medical Center in Portland with injuries that didn’t appear serious.
No charges were listed for either crash.
Traffic was already backed up to the northbound exit 28 due to bridge construction taking place at Milemarker 30 in Topsham.
About an hour later, another three-car fender bender was reported on I-295 northbound in Brunswick, Tilsley said.
“It’s summertime traffic combined with construction combined with people not paying attention, and that’s how crashes happen,” he said.
Once a crash happens on the interstate, state troopers work quickly to clear it up fast, moving vehicles into the breakdown lane if possible, just to keep a travel lane open.
“The quicker we can get things cleared, the less chance of having secondary crashes,” he said.
The Maine Turnpike Authority had a traffic delay alert in place for about three hours after the first crash.
The Maine Department of Transportation is making repairs to the Androscoggin River Bridge on I-295 in Topsham at Milemarker 30. Starting last week northbound traffic was reduced to one lane while the contractor repaired bridge joints.
The alternating lane closures are expected to continue until Aug. 3, depending on the weather. Work zone speed will be reduced to 55 mph and fines will be doubled.
Comments are not available on this story.
Send questions/comments to the editors.
