A crash shut I-45 North southbound at Rankin Road around 6:53 AM on Tuesday, September 15, creating a heavy backup during the morning commute.
Authorities responded to clear the debris and assess damage. The crash backed up traffic significantly on a corridor that's seen considerable incident activity in recent weeks. According to LTA data, this stretch of I-45 North southbound at Rankin has recorded 40 incidents over the past 30 days, with 19 of those classified as major. Over the past 90 days, the count climbs to 165 total incidents, 93 of them major.
If you're stuck on I-45 North heading south through this area, consider rerouting. Hardy Toll Road, SH-249 heading northwest, or local routes via Airline Drive offer alternatives to avoid the backup while crews work the scene.
Weather conditions were clear at the time of the crash, with temperatures around 80 degrees. That doesn't always prevent collisions at this location—the corridor experiences crashes at varied times throughout the day rather than concentrating in a single peak window. The single busiest hour on this stretch is 5–6 PM, according to LTA real-time incident tracking, though crashes happen regularly around the clock.
Historically, this location has seen sustained incident pressure. Over the past 12 months, TxDOT CRIS public crash records show 1,504 crashes within about a quarter-mile of this corridor, with contributing factors as recorded by the investigating officer showing "Failed To Control Speed" cited in 542 crashes. The data reflects a persistent pattern of speed-related incidents across multiple incident types and times of day.
Check current traffic conditions before heading out. Expect delays in both directions as crews clear the roadway.
Sources: TxDOT Crash Records Information System and Local Traffic Accidents database. Counts through September 15, 2026.
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.