Southbound Interstate 35 in downtown Austin was crippled Friday morning after an 18-wheeler struck an overpass at 11th and 12th streets. The crash forced sweeping lane closures and severe traffic bottlenecks, prompting emergency responses from police and transportation officials.
Tractor-Trailer Hits Overpass at 11th and 12th Streets
An 18-wheeler crashed directly into an elevated bridge structure along the major Central Austin corridor, bringing traffic to a near standstill during the late morning hours. The Austin Police Department reported that the impact forced the immediate closure of all southbound lanes of I-35, except for the far right shoulder, which officials kept open to allow trapped vehicles to crawl past the scene.
Austin-Travis County EMS personnel deployed to the location to evaluate the driver and check for potential injuries among motorists traveling in adjacent lanes according to regional reporting. Officers established traffic controls while maintenance crews assessed the physical stability of the overpass.
Gridlock Reaches Airport Boulevard
Southbound congestion backed up to Airport Boulevard by noon, according to data compiled by the Texas Department of Transportation as drivers attempted to navigate the corridor. SigAlert noted heavy lines extending past East 51st Street, while city and highway cameras captured bumper-to-bumper vehicles moving at roughly 11 mph.
Travel times between U.S. 183 and Cesar Chavez Street spiked past 30 minutes during the height of the disruption. Law enforcement agencies urged motorists to bypass the downtown zone by using alternate pathways such as the MoPac Expressway or Highway 183 while cleaning operations got underway.
TxDOT Inspects Structural Damage
The Austin Police Department confirmed Friday, October 2, that the shuttered portion of southbound Interstate 35 would remain closed for several more hours in order to clean up significant debris
. Police officials stated the interstate would remain locked down until engineers could verify the bridge’s safety.
Please find a substitute route for your commute home today
Austin Police Department
Lanes were still closed by 2 p.m. as the Texas Department of Transportation inspected the bridge. Officials wrote online that motorists should drive safely while using detours and should expect delays.
This incident follows a similar collision at Onion Creek Parkway exactly one week prior. Engineers with the Texas Department of Transportation Austin District continued technical evaluations into the afternoon, withholding clearance for general traffic until they could certify that the impact left no critical structural cracks or vulnerabilities in the overpass framing.
It is not yet known if the overpass framing suffered critical structural cracks or vulnerabilities.