A crash early Saturday morning on IH-10 Katy eastbound at IH-45 North backed up traffic at 3:10 AM on August 22, 2026. The incident closed lanes and forced responding officers to divert vehicles off the interchange during the predawn hours.
The crash occurred on one of the region's most active corridors. According to LTA data, this location has logged 42 incidents in the past 30 days—30 of them major crashes. Over the past year, the interchange has seen 235 total incidents, with 170 classified as major. That's a rate that puts real pressure on drivers navigating this critical junction at any hour.
While the busiest window at this interchange is typically 4-5 PM (which has seen 9 crashes in the past 90 days), the data shows crashes here occur at varied times throughout the day and night. Saturday morning traffic was lighter than a weekday peak, but the closure still created delays for the few vehicles on the road at that hour.
Responding officers worked to clear the scene. Drivers heading eastbound on IH-10 toward downtown had options: the Hardy Toll Road to the north, SH-249 northwest, or local routes via Airline Drive. Given the early-morning timing, most traffic that would normally use this corridor was likely still off the road.
Historically, this interchange has been the site of persistent crash activity. Contributing factors as recorded by the investigating officer, per TxDOT CRIS, show "Failed To Control Speed" as the leading factor, cited in 574 crashes at this location since January 2020. Over that same period, state crash records document 1,368 total crashes within about a quarter-mile of this interchange, including 3 fatalities.
Weather conditions at the time—scattered clouds and 82°F—were clear, so visibility and pavement conditions were not a factor in this incident.
The road was cleared following standard response procedures. If you're traveling this corridor during peak hours or overnight, the Hardy Toll Road and SH-249 remain viable alternatives when delays build.
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.