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A major crash on the Long Island Expressway in Queens offered a stark reminder of how quickly a routine drive can turn into a regional traffic emergency. On the morning of February 27, 2026, a nine-vehicle pileup in the westbound lanes in Long Island City injured four people, including one person who was reported in critical condition. The crash forced lane closures during the heart of the morning commute and sent delays rippling across one of the New York metro area’s most important roadways.
According to local reports, the collision happened shortly before 9 a.m. on the westbound LIE in Long Island City. Video from the scene showed vehicles stacked on one another, underscoring how violent the impact was. Emergency crews responded quickly, and all four injured people were taken to Elmhurst Hospital. ABC7 reported that most westbound lanes were shut down while crews removed damaged vehicles, and CBS New York reported the roadway was cleared at about 11:30 a.m., though residual delays continued after lanes reopened.
Why One LIE Crash Can Disrupt the Entire Region
The Long Island Expressway is more than just another highway. It is one of the main east-west corridors connecting Queens, Long Island, and access points into Manhattan and Brooklyn. When a serious crash blocks multiple lanes there, congestion does not stay contained to one stretch of road. In this case, traffic backed up deep into Queens during the morning rush, with ABC7 reporting backups reaching Elmhurst by 10 a.m. That kind of gridlock can quickly spill onto feeder roads, local streets, and alternate parkways as drivers scramble to reroute…