18-wheeler crash off of I-35W overpass leads to major backups, cleanup effort in Fort Worth
FORT WORTH – Two lanes of traffic on I-35 West were closed much of Thursday morning after an accident involving an 18-wheeler.
At around 3:20 a.m., the tractor-trailer was traveling northbound on I-35 when it left the roadway and struck a guardrail, according to the Fort Worth Police Department.
The impact caused the tractor to partially go over the guardrail and a bridge onto Everman Parkway below, but the trailer was stuck above, supported by the guardrail. Crews used heavy machinery to lower the trailer to the ground. Fort Worth police said the driver was safely extricated without any reported injuries.
Officials closed the two right northbound lanes to clear the scene and remove the tractor-trailer from the bridge. The far left lane remained open to traffic, but the backup still led to lengthy delays for much of the morning.
TxDOT was able to repair a guardrail that was damaged in the collision. However, a concrete barrier on the bridge over Everman Parkway will take time to fix. There was no immediate timeline for when the repairs would be complete, but all lanes of traffic eventually reopened.
