An 18-wheeler collided with two passenger cars on northbound I-45 at Woodridge Drive on Thursday, April 09, 2026 at 11:33 AM, creating a significant traffic backup across multiple lanes. The three-vehicle crash brought the morning commute to a crawl in this critical stretch of the North Freeway, with emergency responders working to clear the wreckage and assess the situation.
Northbound I-45 experienced substantial delays extending back several miles from the crash scene. Drivers heading toward the Woodlands and beyond faced significant slowdowns, with backup reaching into the Greens area and affecting access to Downtown. Those seeking alternate routes have several options: westbound drivers can use local streets through the Greens or divert to the Hardy Toll Road, while those heading north could consider the Eastex Freeway as a longer but potentially faster alternative during the peak impact window.
The intersection of I-45 and Woodridge Drive sits in a persistently problematic corridor. Over the past 30 days alone, this location has recorded 66 total incidents, including 30 major crashes. This stretch carries heavy through-traffic headed toward The Woodlands and points north, combined with frequent merging activity from feeder roads and local access points. The volume and speed differential between through-traffic and merging vehicles creates recurring collision hazards.
The crash occurred in the northbound direction, with at least two lanes affected during emergency response and recovery operations. Tow trucks were called to remove the 18-wheeler and damaged passenger vehicles from the roadway. Drivers on I-45 North should expect extended travel times throughout the afternoon as lanes gradually reopen and traffic flows resume to normal levels. The incident underscores ongoing safety concerns on this frequently-traveled corridor.
The location's 30-day count stood at 65 before this incident.
94 new incidents have been logged at this location after this crash. 60 of the crashes that followed were major.
The rate has held at a comparable level after this incident.
Several of those incidents clustered within a short window.
Combined, those incidents make this one of the highest-volume crash locations in the area.
Counts run through May 28, 2026.
This report was produced by LTA's editor-designed production system under the executive editorial direction of Dennis R. Mundy, Executive Editor. The system combines our proprietary data pipeline with AI-assisted drafting to deliver verified incident coverage to LTA's editorial standards.