A leaking valve on a tanker spread driveway sealant over the eastbound lanes of a long stretch of the Turnpike between New Castle and the Oakmont Service Plaza at  night.

150 or more cars were disabled when the sticky goo covered their tires and wheels. Some state police and turnpike maintenance vehicles had to be towed away after getting stuck in the tar-like substance.

Traffic was moving normally but the sticky mess hindered the travel plans of some motorists traveling for the Thanksgiving holiday.

Some was traveling from Cleveland to New Jersey for the holiday.

Due to this reason many of them turn around and went back home.

Retired firefighter Bob King told the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review the experience was the most harrowing of his life.

"It caught us off guard," said King, who now lives near Chicago. "It didn't seem like anyone knew what it was or what to do. It had to be an incredible amount of tar. It's still piled on my tires."

Cpl. Mike Corna, with the state police barracks that patrol the pike near Pittsburg, the driver will be cited for not properly securing his load, though the specific tickets to be issued were still being determined. Police have yet to trace the origin of the load. The tank was filled somewhere in Ohio.

Maintenance crews got out quickly, dumping sand on the pooled goop and using snow plows to push it on to the shoulder, turnpike spokesman Carl DeFebo said. The mess was mostly confined to the right lane and the roadway didn't have to be shut down while workers tried to clean it up.

Urged motorists whose cars were damaged to call its operations center at (800) 331-3414. DeFebo said a number of callers have already been in touch with turnpike operations, which is still trying to determine how many motorists were affected.