By John Schwing

WESTPORT — Traffic along two major east-west thoroughfares, and many side streets, was tied in knots Wednesday by three emergencies.

Traffic downtown was clogged by two incidents since about 10:30 a.m. Wednesday.

The first was a gas leak at Main and Elm streets, which closed both roads until early afternoon.

Main Street reopened to traffic about 2:30 p.m., but from Main Street to 33 Elm St, remained shut down as repairs to the gas line continued, officials said,

Meanwhile, in an apparently unrelated incident, utility wires came down near 45 Jesup Road, closing that street to traffic.

Compounding the downtown problems, an investigation into a shooting reported early Wednesday in Darien prompted State Police to shut down Exit 18 in Westport and other entrances to the highway, forcing more traffic onto the Post Road.

The result was major backups on the Post Road through Westport and beyond, as well as on I-95.

Residual traffic tie-ups were likely to adversely affect “afternoon bus schedules,” Supt of Schools Thomas Scarice warned in an emailed statement, as well as “families picking up students from school.

“We ask that all families allow for extra time in traveling to our schools and to prepare for possible delays with buses dropping students off,” he added.

State Police said three people were wounded in the shooting incident reported about 3:50 a.m. Wednesday near I-95’s Exit 10 in Darien. The incident, apparently involving shots fired from one vehicle into another, remains under investigation, State Police reported.

Westport police stationed officers to block traffic entering I-95 via either the Exit 17 or 18 interchanges at the request of State Police, according to a spokesman. An officer also was deployed to Riverside Avenue and Bridge Street to help deal with the traffic backup.

The disruption to I-95 traffic was expected to continue indefinitely.

John Schwing, the Westport Journal consulting editor, has held senior editorial and writing posts at southwestern Connecticut media outlets for four decades. Learn more about us here.