I-94 reopened through Lowry Hill Tunnel in Minneapolis after crash

A rollover crash involving a semi carrying ammunition on Friday morning closed both directions of Interstate 94 through the Lowry Hill Tunnel in Minneapolis.

The crash happened just before 11 a.m. Traffic was detoured around the tunnel on Hennepin and Lyndale avenues, causing lengthy backups in both directions on I-94.

The eastbound lanes reopened by 12:40 p.m., while the westbound lanes remained closed until late afternoon.

The State Patrol said troopers responding to reports of a crash in the westbound lanes found that “a semi-truck hauling ammunition had struck the wall, causing it to roll over. The damage and debris also went into the eastbound lanes of traffic just outside the east end of the tunnel.”

The driver of the semi suffered injuries that the Patrol said were not life-threatening. No other vehicles were involved in the crash, which remains under investigation.

While vehicles carrying certain kinds of hazardous materials are barred from traveling through the Lowry Hill Tunnel, the Patrol said the ammunition being carried by the semi in Friday’s crash was allowed to be transported through the tunnel.