A significant crash on IH-45 northbound at Bayou Road brought heavy traffic to a crawl Friday evening at 7:56 PM on February 13, 2026. The incident occurred during peak commute hours, creating backups that extended well beyond the immediate crash site as drivers navigated the congested stretch near the busy interchange.
Northbound drivers heading toward downtown Houston and beyond faced substantial delays as the crash tied up multiple lanes during one of the busiest travel times of the week. The University of Houston area and Memorial neighborhoods saw spillover traffic on surface streets as commuters sought alternate routes. Drivers looking to bypass the backup had limited options—Bellaire Boulevard and Richmond Avenue provided some relief, though both corridors also experienced heavier-than-normal traffic volumes. Those with flexibility could have rerouted further west via IH-610 or taken surface streets through Midtown, though those alternatives come with their own Friday evening congestion.
The IH-45 corridor at Bayou Road sits in an area known for heavy traffic flow, particularly during afternoon and evening hours when commuters from the greater Houston area funnel toward downtown. This stretch serves as a critical connection between the Medical Center, the University of Houston, and downtown employment centers. Major intersections including Richmond Avenue and Bellaire Boulevard bracket this section, making it a key arterial for cross-town traffic.
According to TranStar, the northbound direction bore the brunt of the incident's impact. Commute times in the affected area climbed significantly above normal Friday evening levels. Drivers should expect residual delays in the northbound lanes even as recovery efforts proceed. Those traveling this corridor Saturday morning should monitor traffic conditions closely, as cleanup operations and potential lane restrictions may still affect flow.
HEADLINE: Major Crash on IH-45 Northbound at Bayou Road Snarls Friday Evening Commute
In the four weeks before this crash, 13 incidents had piled up at this location.
Since then, the location has recorded 111 additional crashes. 74 of those crashes reached major severity. Among those, 2 crash was fatal.
The rate of incidents has risen in the period since this crash.
Multiple crashes piled up over consecutive days.
The combined count puts this stretch in the top tier for crashes in the area.
Data current as of May 27, 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.