I-45 northbound crash at Preston ramp closes lanes

A major crash on I-45 northbound at the Preston entrance ramp brought traffic to a standstill Thursday morning. The wreck happened at 6:07 AM, shutting down lanes during the early commute and creating immediate backup on one of Harris County's busiest corridors.

Responding officers worked to clear the debris and reopen the roadway. Details about injuries and the exact number of vehicles involved weren't immediately available, but the road classification as a major freeway crash means significant lane closure and extended clearance time.

This wreck adds to an alarming trend at this location. According to LTA data, the I-45 northbound corridor at Preston has logged 85 incidents over the past 30 days—28 of them major crashes. Over the past year, the data shows 741 total incidents at this stretch, including 359 major crashes and 5 fatalities. The corridor's timing pattern is scattered; while the single busiest hour is 6–7 PM with 16 crashes, collisions here occur at varied times rather than concentrating in one window.

Per TxDOT CRIS public crash records, the broader Preston area corridor has seen 1,716 crashes since January 2020, with 4 fatalities. Contributing factors as recorded by investigating officers show "Failed To Control Speed" as the leading factor, cited in 400 crashes across the corridor. The hit-and-run rate stands at 10.1% of all units involved in crashes here.

Thursday's incident occurred under clear skies at 82°F, so weather was not a factor. Drivers heading northbound should expect delays and consider alternate routes if possible. The road typically clears within 1–2 hours of major incident response, though exact clearance time depends on the extent of vehicle recovery and lane restoration needed.

Stay alert on this stretch—it remains one of the region's highest-volume crash corridors.