Woman dead after rush-hour crash on a major highway in Centre County
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Rush-hour collision at I-80/I-99 interchange killed a 75-year-old passenger.
- Driver of Jaguar turned left into southbound Ford F-350 towing a camper.
- I-80/I-99 lanes closed 2.5 hours; $259M high-speed ramp project due by 2030.
A woman died Friday in a rush-hour crash at the intersection of the two largest highways in Centre County.
A 75-year-old passenger of a Jaguar station wagon was pronounced dead about 5:10 p.m. Friday at the intersection of Jacksonville Road and the Interstate 80 interchange, Spring Township police said in a Facebook post.
The driver of the station wagon turned left in front of a Ford F-350 that was towing a camper and traveling southbound, police said. The cause of the crash — which occurred shortly after sunset and as rain fell — remains under investigation.
The driver of the station wagon was treated at Mount Nittany Medical Center for moderate injuries, police said. The driver of the heavy-duty pickup was not injured.
At least one lane of Interstates 80 and 99 was closed for about 2 1/2 hours Friday evening. The highways reopened about 7:50 p.m. Friday, according to the state Department of Transportation’s real-time traffic information service.
The Snow Shoe Fire Co. said in a Facebook post that I-80 was closed in both directions, and that eastbound traffic would need to use the Milesburg exit.
A $259 million project to construct a direct, high-speed connection between I-80 and I-99 is ongoing. Construction of high-speed ramps would eliminate the need to travel along state Route 26 to access either highway. It is expected to be completed by 2030.
There were eight fatal crashes in Spring Township during the previous decade for which PennDOT statistics are available. That was tied for the fourth most of any municipality in Centre County, trailing Rush, Walker and Potter townships.