HOUSTON – The Houston Avenue Bridge has been hit by an oversized vehicle for what is believed to be the second time in 2026.
Houston police responded to reports of an oversized vehicle striking the 14-foot bridge around 2 a.m.
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According to reports, the truck left two large boxes in the right lane, center lane, and the shoulder, which has caused several lanes to remain closed while crews work to clean up the mess.
This accident comes days after we reported on Jan. 14 that another oversized truck hit the notorious bridge as well.
Last year, the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) released data showing that the bridge had been hit 72 times in 2025 alone, racking up hundreds of thousands of dollars in damage and forcing repeated freeway closures that disrupt traffic and cost taxpayers.
Standing just 14 feet, 3 inches high, the bridge requires any taller truck to have a special permit to pass underneath. But TxDOT says many of the truckers responsible for these crashes were either hauling oversized loads without permits or ignoring designated routes to take shortcuts.
To help prevent strikes, TxDOT has installed three oversized-load detection systems that flash warnings to approaching drivers. Still, officials say not every trucker listens.
While the bridge remains structurally sound, it fails in one critical area, clearance. TxDOT engineers rated the bridge’s height a 2 out of 9, calling it “intolerable.”
TxDOT says that the Houston Avenue Bridge will eventually be demolished as part of the White Oak Bayou I-10 elevation project, scheduled to begin in early 2027.
Key facts: Houston Avenue Bridge
- Bridge strikes in 2025: 72
- Incidents investigated by HPD: 8
- Repair and inspection costs (2025): $401,379.79
- Bridge height: 14 ft, 3 in
- Built: 1965
- Average daily traffic: 18,750 vehicles
- Condition: Structurally sound
- Clearance rating: “Intolerable” (2/9)
- Demolition and rebuild: Planned for early 2027 (White Oak Bayou I-10 Elevation Project)