Crash closes Highway 63 in Columbia during evening rush, scene cleared more than an hour later

Watch video from the scene in the player above.

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

A crash closed part of Highway 63 in Columbia on Tuesday afternoon.

Boone County emergency dispatchers said in a public alert that Highway 63 southbound had closed at Vandiver Drive after a crash. The alert was sent just after 5 p.m. and urged drivers to avoid the area.

Emergency radio traffic indicated a motorcycle or pedestrian might have been involved.

Southbound traffic was being rerouted on a Highway 63 exit ramp and northbound traffic was moving slowly through the area.

A notice on the Missouri Department of Transportation's traveler information map said the road would be closed until further notice. One lane of southbound Highway 63 opened a little before 6 p.m. The scene was cleared by 6:30 pm.

A worker at Menards said they saw the scene shortly after the crash happened while on a break for work. He also said he saw multiple cars pulled over on the side of the road, and what he believes was a man being put into an ambulance after being hit while riding a motorcycle.

"It looked like, I couldn't tell what was exactly involved...the two that looked like it was involved was a motorcyclist and it looked like a semi maybe that was involved," Kintner said. "But there was about 5 or 6 cars pulling over, so I mean i'm not sure if it was a big group thing that happened or what exactly went on."

ABC 17 News reached out to the Columbia police and fire department to learn what led to the crash. As of Tuesday evening, no one was available for comment.

This story is developing.