A semi-truck struck the Houston Avenue bridge Sunday night, blocking multiple lanes on the I-10 Katy Freeway.
HOUSTON — It happened again. The Houston Avenue bridge was struck by a semi-truck Sunday night.
According to Houston TranStar, the latest crash happened around 8:50 p.m. on the I-10 Katy Freeway eastbound at Houston Avenue. TranStar reported a heavy truck crash that caused road debris and blocked multiple lanes, including the left shoulder, left lane and center lane.
At this time, no injuries have been reported.
Just last month, the bridge was hit three times in less than a week, bringing the total number of bridge strikes to at least 70 since construction began on the White Oak I-10 expansion project in January.
TxDOT officials previously said that many improperly permitted drivers are to blame for the frequent collisions with the bridge, which sits above the eastbound lanes of I-10. The recent surge in strikes coincides with construction that shut down the final exit at Taylor Street as part of the ongoing expansion project.
Despite safety measures in place, vehicles continue to collide with the bridge structure. TxDOT has installed three heavy load detection systems leading up to the bridge that activate lights and warning signs when oversized vehicles are detected.
The current issues may be temporary, as the I-10 expansion project plans call for removing the Houston Avenue bridge entirely and running it below the highway instead. However, that work is not expected to begin until 2027, meaning the bridge strikes could continue for several more years under current conditions.
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