The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) said a damaged piece of bridge expansion joint on the southbound Gulf Freeway near the South Loop in Houston was removed Friday morning. Video obtained by ABC13 shows several cars along the freeway that morning. A man who shared the footage with Eyewitness News said the cars had flat tires because of the damaged joint.
TxDOT said it is still working to determine what caused the break and will schedule repairs later. The agency said federal rules require bridges to be inspected every other year. It also said joints can break with little warning and that crews regularly inspect roads for issues like this one.
TxDOT said a similar incident was reported on the Katy Freeway near Fry Road on Tuesday morning. The agency said drivers whose cars were damaged will need to file claims through their own insurance, because it cannot use state funds for property damage.