I-45 northbound wreck at Aldine Bender exit early Sunday

A major crash shut down the northbound exit ramp at I-45 near Aldine Bender around 4:17 AM on Sunday, August 16. Responding officers worked to clear the scene on what turned out to be a relatively quiet morning for traffic — but a location that's anything but quiet over the longer term.

The crash happened in clear conditions at 77 degrees, yet it joins a troubling pattern at this specific exit. According to LocalTrafficAccidents.com data, the I-45 northbound exit ramp at Aldine Bender has seen 21 incidents in just the past 30 days, with 14 of them classified as major. Over the past 90 days, the corridor has recorded 91 total incidents — 59 major and 1 fatal. Across a full 12 months, the location has logged 201 incidents, including 126 major crashes and 4 fatalities.

Looking at a longer historical window, TxDOT CRIS public crash records show 1,404 crashes within about a quarter-mile of this exit since January 2020, resulting in 6 fatalities. Contributing factors as recorded by the investigating officer, per TxDOT CRIS, show "Failed To Control Speed" as the leading factor, cited in 472 crashes at the corridor.

The timing pattern here is noteworthy: most crashes at this location fall outside the typical weekday commute peaks. The single busiest hour on record is 1 to 2 PM, when 5 crashes have occurred. This early-morning incident fits the broader pattern — crashes here aren't confined to rush hour. Over a 90-day period, Wednesdays see the most crashes at this exit, with 16 incidents recorded.

The exit ramp serves traffic heading north on I-45 toward The Woodlands and points beyond. While specifics on lane closures and clearance time weren't immediately available, the early Sunday morning timing likely minimized immediate commuter impact — this stretch typically sees lighter volume in the predawn hours on weekends. That said, anyone traveling I-45 northbound in the Aldine area Sunday morning should have expected residual delays as crews wrapped up their work.

If you're planning to use this exit in the coming days, the data suggests heightened caution is warranted. The corridor's 90-day incident total of 59 major crashes underscores why this location consistently ranks among the region's more active trouble spots.

**Update (12:20 PM CT):** The major crash at EXIT 60A 10398 N IH 45 FWY @ ALDINE BENDER EXIT RAMP, first reported at 4:17 AM, has cleared after more than 8 hours. All lanes have reopened and normal traffic flow has resumed in the area.