Semis stuck on I-10 ‘as far as the eye can see’
A rescue group shared frightening footage of long lines of semi trucks stranded on I-10 between Winnie and Beaumont, Texas.
The Facebook Live video was shared by the Louisiana Storm Patrol around noon on Friday. The video shows long lines of traffic (the majority of the vehicles appear to be semi trucks) parked on on the interstate with nowhere to go “as far as the eye can see.”
In the video, the group says that they are working to provide transport, food, water, or any other services to drivers who are stranded on the interstate due to the flooding that has decimated eastern and southeastern Texas in the past two days.
On Friday morning, the Texas Department of Transportation said that both directions of I-10 between Beaumont and Winnie remain closed and that there is no estimated time for the interstate to reopen. I-10 is also closed in both directions from Winnie to Mont Belvieu.
I10 east and westbound between Beaumont and Winnie is still closed due to water over the road. There is no estimate at this time as to when it will reopen. We are monitoring and will open as soon as it is safe to do so.
— TxDOT-Beaumont (@TxDOTBeaumont) September 20, 2019
TxDOT announced a new I-10 detour around 3 p.m. on Friday.
UPDATED I10 DETOUR: I10 westbound traffic coming into Bmt detoured to US90 westbound. I10 eastbound traffic from Houston detoured north on SH146 in Mont Belvieu & east on US90. Most east/west traffic signals along US90 have been changed to flashing yellow to assist traffic flow.
— TxDOT-Beaumont (@TxDOTBeaumont) September 20, 2019
The I-10 East Freeway in the Houston area is also closed until further notice after a bridge was damaged by loose barges.
Four people have died as a result of the severe weather in the Texas area.