13 Alert Traffic: I-10 East Freeway westbound lanes reopened after spools roll off big rig

Houston, Texas (KTRK) — The westbound mainlanes of I-10 East Freeway at Wayside have reopened following a chaotic Friday afternoon rush-hour scene caused by a truck losing its two spools.

SkyEye footage revealed the aftermath, highlighting the recurring issue of loose spools disrupting Houston’s freeways.

This incident adds to a documented history of spools straying from their intended transportation routes and ending up on Houston’s freeway lanes. Just last December, drivers navigated around a massive spool that fell from an 18-wheeler, striking a railroad overpass.

Similarly, in August, traffic on the Katy Freeway slowed down as crews worked to clear two loose spools from the roadway. Remarkably, a similar obstruction occurred at the same location back in 2022.

This isn’t the first time Houston has dealt with rogue spools. previously chronicled multiple instances from five years ago, suggesting this has been a recurring issue.

For Houston drivers, navigating around these hazards has become a regular occurrence. Stay informed and alert while driving by utilizing real-time traffic data and signing up for traffic alerts via our app.