Rush-hour commuters faced long delays after a crash forced closure of the M56 in Cheshire.
The eastbound carriageway was shut from junction 12 for Beechwood and Runcorn to to junction 11 for Preston Brook and Warrington.
National Highways said seven miles of traffic had built up, causing delays of more than an hour.
One lane of the motorway was re-opened just after 07:30 BST.
