A deadly overnight crash brings I-35 to a stand-still early Thursday morning. And unfortunately, this is nothing new for folks around here.
This is the fourth major accident in the same construction zone, between Elm Mott and West, in the past month.
In total three people are dead, three critically injured.
The stretch has been under construction since 2010. But this is the first string of serious accidents.
"What we're finding is we have everything in place that needs to be there. It's a matter of drivers' focus," said TxDOT Spokesperson Ken Roberts.
But this many accidents is too big to ignore. So KCEN HD News Reporter Rebecca Schleicher hops in the car to feel out road conditions for herself.
She said immediately there was a problem.
"We're just reaching that stretch of road right now. I've slowed down to 70 miles and hour and people have just been passing me left and right."
Nearly everyone was speeding through the work zone, passing in both highway lanes.
And it seems Ken may be right.
"It seems like they're doing a pretty good job of putting signs up to warn me if I need to use the next exit or if a lane is closed...as long as I was paying attention I would be able to prepare for it," Rebecca said.
TxDot spends significant resources to put up signs, barriers, flashing lights and cones.
"But the things that we put in place, are only things. They're only devices. They don't do anything without the cooperation of the traveling public," Ken said.
That means breaking the recent cycle of accidents calls for lower speeds and more alert drivers.
