Chaos on 101: Overturned Big Rig Snarls Morning Commute in Redwood City
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- January 19, 2026
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Big Rig Topples on Highway 101 South, Creating Massive Traffic Headaches for Bay Area Commuters
A Monday morning commute turned into a standstill nightmare for many Bay Area drivers after a big rig overturned on Highway 101 South in Redwood City, causing extensive delays and lane closures.
Well, if you were trying to get anywhere southbound on Highway 101 in Redwood City this Monday morning, chances are you hit a wall of traffic. And I mean a serious wall. What was supposed to be a regular start to the week quickly morphed into an epic tale of gridlock, all thanks to an unexpected incident that brought everything to a grinding halt.
It all kicked off bright and early, around 6:40 AM, just as the morning commute was really getting into its full, bustling swing. A massive big rig, for reasons yet to be fully explained, somehow ended up on its side. Imagine the sight: a huge truck, completely toppled over, right there on the southbound lanes of Highway 101, perilously close to the Woodside Road exit.
Can you imagine? Every single southbound lane was blocked initially. Talk about a complete standstill! The California Highway Patrol (CHP) confirmed it was a real mess, and for good reason. They had their hands full, trying to manage the scene, assess the situation, and figure out how on earth to get that behemoth upright and cleared. I bet there were a few choice words uttered in those cars, that's for sure.
As the hours ticked by, the delays only mounted. While officials worked tirelessly, coordinating with Caltrans and emergency crews, lanes slowly but surely started to trickle open. First one, then maybe another, but the residual delays, oh boy, those lingered for hours. Even as some lanes eventually cleared, the sheer volume of backed-up traffic meant it took ages for things to truly normalize, pushing many commuters' arrival times way, way back.
Thankfully, amidst all the disruption and the daunting sight of an overturned truck, there was a significant silver lining: no injuries were reported. A huge relief, really, considering the potential severity of such an incident. It's always a blessing when everyone walks away from something like this unscathed, even if their Monday morning was completely derailed.
So, for anyone who was part of that morning gridlock, it was definitely a day to remember – or perhaps, a day they'd rather forget. Just another reminder of how quickly a typical Bay Area commute can turn into an unexpected, traffic-snarling adventure.
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