I-45 southbound crash at Howard exit ramp early Sunday

A major crash brought southbound I-45 to a halt near the Howard Street exit ramp in the 7800 block early Sunday morning. The wreck happened at 1:41 AM on August 23, injuring at least one person and forcing crews to clear debris from the roadway.

This stretch of I-45 southbound near Broadway is proving to be a serious trouble spot. According to LocalTrafficAccidents.com data, the corridor logged 52 incidents in the past 30 days—23 of them major crashes. Over the past three months, that number climbs to 214 total incidents, with 128 classified as major. Sundays have been the worst day here, with 29 crashes over the past 90 days, which may explain why this early-morning incident hit a spot already worn by frequent collisions.

Wider context shows this intersection has been a crash magnet for years. Per TxDOT CRIS public crash records, the corridor has logged 1,768 crashes since January 2020, with 2 fatal incidents in that span. Contributing factors as recorded by investigating officers, per TxDOT CRIS, show "Failed To Control Speed" as the leading factor, cited in 768 crashes. The hit-and-run rate at this location stands at 11.8 percent according to state records.

Responding officers worked to clear the scene and reopen the southbound lanes. Traffic was slow to recover in the early-morning hours, but the roadway was back to normal flow by sunrise. Conditions were overcast and warm—81 degrees—at the time of the crash.

If you're using I-45 southbound in this area during early-morning or overnight hours, expect residual delays for the next few hours as crews complete their work and traffic volume picks back up. The Howard Street exit and southbound approach remain active, so proceed with caution if you're headed that direction.

**Update (9:45 AM CT):** The major crash at IH45OB-BROADWAY 7868 S IH 45 FWY @ HOWARD EXIT RAMP, first reported at 1:41 AM, has cleared after more than 8 hours. All lanes have reopened and normal traffic flow has resumed in the area.