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Crashes Cause Major Delays On Busy Thanksgiving Travel Day

WELLESLEY (CBS) -- Multiple crashes across the state caused major traffic delays on Tuesday afternoon and evening.

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All eyes were on the roads inside the Massachusetts Department of Transportation Operations Center. From I-93 into and out of the city, to Chicopee way out on the Mass Pike, they can see and track it all. Including a major mess, when a box truck and car crashed on Route 128 in Wellesley.

In Oxford, several lanes of the Mass Pike westbound were briefly shut down after a multi-car crash.

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The crash on Route 128 north in Wellesley (WBZ)

It was hours of trouble for drivers on one of the busiest travel days of the year, the Tuesday before Thanksgiving, which is now becoming worse than Wednesday.

Traveler Amanda Whyman says, "We thought today would be better than tomorrow cause it was supposed to be so crazy."

Amanda and her daughter Allura were taking a break from their car before they head on to Pennsylvania for the Thanksgiving holiday. They thought they were getting a jump on the Holiday traffic.

"Right before we left I read something that this is actually the worse time and I thought 'oh that's great,'" Amanda said.

And on Tuesday, it was a traffic nightmare all over. Heavy volume all over the state, taking many by surprise, including the Luksics who came to pick up their daughter from college in Boston.

Kate Merrill asks, "Did you realize today was busiest?"

The Luksics family says, "No, I thought it would be tomorrow, that's why we came today."

But as with anything, it's all about the timing. Just a few hours later it lightens up on the roads. A small break for travelers, that you can't help but be thankful for.

Amanda Whyman says, "We've only come to a complete stop twice so that's a good thing."

MassDOT says to travel early morning or late at night and never between 4pm-8pm on Tuesday or Wednesday.

All construction projects will come to an end for the holiday on Wednesday to ease traffic headaches.

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