HOUSTON – A dangerous pothole shutdown the main lanes on on I-69 Southwest Freeway at Beltway 8 for several hours as crews worked to repair the damaged concrete, according to TxDOT.
The pothole opened on the bridge deck and there was nothing underneath to support it, creating what officials called a serious public safety.
Two main lanes were blocked off from traffic since Tuesday night but has since reopened Wednesday morning, according to TxDOT.
KPRC 2 received some reports that the shutdown caused bad traffic for drivers, stretching their commute by hours.
TxDOT said the bridge is designed to flex and when issues happen, it can develop fast, especially in high traffic areas.
“We do inspect our bridges and roads constantly, and so we’re always looking out for that kind of thing,” said Leo Flores, a TxDOT spokesperson. “These things can come out of nowhere, so there’s no telling. But potholes are common, and they happen throughout. It’s just it’s our job to maintain that and find them and fix them.”
He said this is a good reminder for drivers when they see a pothole that could pose a danger, slow down, avoid it and report it to TxDOT.