Ryan Bird's report on the 401 truck crash

A transport truck carrying paper products and Styrofoam may have been going too fast when it struck an abutment on the ramp from the west 401 express lanes to the Don Valley Parkway. 

Listen to Ryan Bird's report

The driver survived but suffered burns to his arms and legs. The big rig burned for about three hours, and all that remained was a charred pile of debris. Not only did pavement melt but the crash caused questions about whether the bridge supporting the west 401 express lanes is still safe. It won't re-open until that is confirmed.

Here's the traffic situation:

West 401 express lanes motorists can only continue westbound at the Parkway 404, they cannot exit north or south.    

West 401 collector lanes motorists can only go northbound onto the 404, they cannot continue westbound or exit to the southbound Parkway.

Drivers wanting to continue westbound must be in the express.   Motorists wanting to go northbound must be in the collectors. Those wanting to go southbound will need to exit at Victoria Park and go south, then west along Parkwoods Village Drive which becomes York Mills Road. 

Until nearly 3 a.m. west 401 express lanes were jammed back to Kennedy,  east 401 express lanes were blocked at Leslie and northbound Parkway traffic had to get off at York Mills. 

(Attached pictures of the crash scene, and the backup in the west express until Kennedy, were obtained from the MTO Compass System cameras. )