A crash at SH-288 southbound and Almeda-Genoa Road shut the freeway during the pre-dawn hours Friday morning. The incident occurred at 3:07 AM on July 31, 2026.
Authorities responded to find a major collision that closed southbound lanes and backed up traffic significantly in the area. The roadway remained impassable while crews worked to clear the scene and restore normal flow.
This crash adds to a persistent pattern at this corridor. According to LocalTrafficAccidents.com data, SH-288 southbound at Almeda-Genoa has recorded 43 incidents over the past 30 days—36 of them major crashes. Over the past 90 days, that number climbs to 103 total incidents, with 72 classified as major. In the past 12 months, 186 incidents have occurred at this location, including 120 major crashes and 4 fatal collisions.
The timing of crashes here varies throughout the day, though the single busiest hour is 6 to 7 AM, when eight crashes typically occur during that window, according to LTA data.
Historically, this corridor has seen substantial crash activity. According to TxDOT CRIS public crash records dating back to January 2020, approximately 630 crashes have been recorded within about a quarter-mile of this location, with 2 of those fatal. Contributing factors as recorded by investigating officers, per TxDOT CRIS, show "Failed To Control Speed" as the leading factor, cited in 194 crashes. Additionally, the hit-and-run rate at this corridor stands at 12.1 percent—152 of the 1,259 units involved in crashes here have fled the scene.
For Friday morning commuters, conditions were overcast with temperatures around 79 degrees at the time of the incident.
If you're heading southbound on SH-288, consider using Almeda Road, South Main, or IH-69/US-59 as parallel routing options while crews clear the scene. Check live traffic updates before heading out, as delays should gradually ease once responders complete their work and lanes reopen.
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.