Crews Work To Prevent Flooding Along Interstate-35W
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FORT WORTH (CBSDFW.COM) - Storms dumped even more water on North Texas for the second straight morning early Thursday. But, while the showers on Wednesday morning created a huge traffic problem along Interstate-35W in Fort Worth, things were much different just a day later.
Officials in Fort Worth were forced to shut down the interstate on Wednesday morning due to flooding under the 28th Street bridge. It was around 2:30 a.m. when torrential downpours started causing problems for drivers and both sides of the freeway became blocked by high water.
The closure lasted for about three hours before the last stranded vehicle was removed. The water drained away rather quickly after crews checked area drains and pulled out pieces of debris. Workers were out again very early Thursday to make sure that the same thing did not happen for a second straight day.
A long line of work trucks arrived to this portion of the interstate at around 3:00 a.m. to start removing additional debris and prevent similar flood conditions from appearing. That included a street sweeper and several men on foot, checking the drains and barrier conditions by hand and fixing any problems areas.
The extra work seems to have paid off, as road conditions just before rush hour on Thursday morning looked much improved over what was seen on Wednesday. Lanes remained open in both directions of the highway. Officials are continuing to keep an eye on this location as the storms finish pushing through. Check the traffic section for the latest updates.
This particular area of Fort Worth has been a recurring problem spot for drivers during times of heavy rainfall. The water rolls from nearby construction zones down to this lower area along the interstate, where the road dips underneath the 28th Street bridge. Construction is expected to continue here for the next year or two.