Wind turbine blade falls onto A4 motorway near Rzeszów, blocking arterial route towards Ukraine border
A giant wind-turbine element being hauled by a heavy-goods vehicle on the A4 slipped from its mountings early Friday at Terliczka, blocking both eastbound lanes and the S19 exit, causing disruption likely to last until Saturday.
What happened
At around 2:48 a.m. on Friday 10 July, a truck transporting an oversized wind-turbine component on the A4 motorway lost its load at kilometre 580 near Terliczka, between the Rzeszów Północ and Rzeszów Wschód interchanges. The element fell onto the carriageway, blocking both lanes in the direction of Korczowa and damaging the road surface.
On Friday before 3:00 a.m., the duty officer of the municipal headquarters was notified of a road incident on the A4 motorway towards Korczowa.
Traffic chaos and detour routes
The incident blocked the main eastbound carriageway and the exit slip road to the S19 and DK97 at the Rzeszów Wschód junction. Traffic has been squeezed through an emergency bypass, but drivers are being urged to leave the motorway earlier. Motorists heading for Rzeszów can exit at Rzeszów Zachód or Rzeszów Północ, while those who miss those junctions can turn around at Łańcut and rejoin the S19/DK97 when travelling west towards Kraków.
Road damage and removal effort
Photographs from the scene show gouges in the asphalt where the heavy component struck the road. The General Directorate for National Roads and Motorways (GDDKiA) indicated that specialist equipment must be brought in to lift and remove the element, and that repairs to the surface will be necessary. Police have said the load’s fastening failed during transport.
During the day, a full closure of the A4 is also anticipated, about which we will inform in advance.
Expected duration
The disruption is forecast to last roughly 15 hours, with authorities saying it may stretch into Saturday. GDDKiA has warned that a complete shutdown of the A4 at the accident site will be required at some point on Friday to allow the removal and repair operations to proceed safely, and that drivers will be notified ahead of time.
- Oversized turbine component falls from truck onto A4 at km 580 in Terliczka.
- Police notified; both A4 eastbound lanes and S19 exit blocked.
- Morning traffic diverts via emergency bypass; detours announced.
- GDDKiA warns of full A4 closure later in the day for removal and repairs.
- Disruption expected to last until Saturday; road surface damage to be fixed.
Official advice
Sub-commissioner Żuk of the Rzeszów municipal police appealed to drivers to exercise caution and plan alternative routes. GDDKiA echoed the call, advising motorists travelling towards Korczowa to factor the disruption into their journey plans. With the A4 being one of Poland’s key east-west corridors and a main route to the Ukrainian border, the blockage is causing significant delays.
