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The eastbound crashes were reported just before 8:30 a.m., in the middle of rush hour and about five hours after a storm that dropped a foot of snow in the area finally moved out.
Speed restrictions put in place during the storm had been lifted at 6 a.m., but rush-hour motorists said the roadway was very slick, calling into question whether it had been adequately treated. State police also suspect sun glare might have played a role.
The accidents created a five-mile traffic jam between the Bensalem and Willow Grove exits of the state's primary east-west highway. The jam was cleared by the middle of the afternoon, and turnpike officials reopened the roadway in both directions by 4 p.m.
Stuck motorists turned off their engines to conserve gas. One of them, Chuck Wacker, 53, of Plymouth Meeting, counted about 30 smashed-up vehicles around him.
"It's a pretty calm atmosphere right now," he said. "People are sharing food and water."
He said cars were spun around, gas tanks were cracked open and glass and plastic littered the road.
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