SUV collided with bus near Lincoln Tunnel, injured 5

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On Wednesday morning, a collision between a commuter bus and an SUV on Route 495 left at least five people injured. The motor vehicle accident reportedly occurred just on the Lincoln Tunnel helix around 8 a.m. in Weehawken when an SUV crossed over a row of yellow divider poles, entered into the opposing lane and collided with the commuter bus. Sources said the express bus lanes on the Lincoln Tunnel helix are several decades old, and that everyday Port Authority workers block the left-hand westbound lane of Route 495 with yellow plastic poles to create a temporary eastbound express lane for buses going into the tunnel. Those poles, which are removed by 10 a.m., are the only division between the express bus lane and the two westbound lanes for vehicles coming out of the tunnel. Carl R. Bieber Tourways was reportedly the operator of the bus, which was driven by Gary Bieber. The SUV was driven was a 29-year-old woman from Middle Village, N.Y. Following the collision, four passengers were taken to Palisades Medical Center in North Bergen for treatment of minor injuries. Sources didn't indicate how the SUV driver fared in the accident. The accident apparently caused the westbound lanes of the Route 495 to be shut down for two hours, forcing many drivers to reroute their trips. Rain may have been a factor, but sources said it was too early to say for sure what caused the accident, which is still under investigation. Source: northjersey.com, "At least five hurt after SUV and commuter bus collide near Lincoln Tunnel," Chris Harris and Eric Chilling, 18 May 2011.