Pothole on the East Freeway causes traffic mess and flattens tires of at least 10 cars, HPD says

Houston motorists faced a frustrating commute on Thursday night after a pothole on the East Freeway caused a massive traffic jam. At least 10 vehicles suffered damaged tires as they ran over the hazardous spot, which was characterized by a rock near a freeway joint. Houston TranStar referred to the debris as road debris, but officials acknowledged that it was a significant problem.

The incident occurred when HPD officers blocked three out of four lanes on the westbound East Freeway at Uvalde Road. The traffic congestion resulted in lengthy delays for commuters. According to TxDOT, the freeway joint is an intentional gap in concrete designed to reduce stress on the roadway, but it appears that this design feature did little to prevent the accident.

The Houston Police Department confirmed that officers responded to multiple reports of flat tires and identified at least 10 vehicles affected by the pothole. ABC13 has reached out to TxDOT for further information, but is awaiting a response.

Motorists in Houston can expect more frustration on the roads unless they get the repairs done quickly. The incident highlights the ongoing problem of poorly maintained infrastructure, which poses risks to road users and their vehicles.

Ugh I'm so done with this city's potholes!!! I was supposed to meet my friends at 7 but now we're still stuck on the freeway at 9! I just got a flat tire from hitting that rock thingy... I mean what is Houston TranStar doing?! They should be ashamed of themselves for not taking care of our roads already! And don't even get me started on this "road debris" nonsense. It's a huge problem and it needs to be fixed ASAP! I'm literally counting down the hours till they can fix this mess... and honestly, if it doesn't get done soon, I'm gonna lose my mind! Can we just get some decent road maintenance around here?!

I'm so fed up with potholes on our freeways ! I remember last year when my friend's car was damaged by a huge pothole near downtown Houston... it was crazy expensive to fix! Anyways, this incident on the East Freeway is really annoying. It's not like they're doing anything about it either... they just acknowledge that it's a problem and expect us to deal with it. I mean, what's the point of having infrastructure if we can't even trust it?

Ugh, I'm so sick of driving around Houston right now . This pothole thing is just a nightmare! How can a freeway joint even be designed that way? It's like they're just throwing rocks on the road expecting us to hit them and deal with it . And what's up with all these delays? Can't we get some decent maintenance done around here?! I was supposed to be home an hour ago, but now I'm stuck in this mess. Just a reminder that someone has to pay for all this chaos... and it's not just the drivers who are affected . This is why I hate driving at night... safety should always be the top priority!

Ugh, this pothole drama is getting old! I was on my way home from work when I hit that nasty bump on the East Freeway... I'm just glad I didn't get a flat tire . But seriously, 10 vehicles damaged from one pothole? That's insane! And it's not like it was just any ol' pothole either - it was a rock near a freeway joint . What's up with that design feature, right? Apparently, TxDOT is saying it's supposed to reduce stress on the roadway, but in this case, it was more like a recipe for disaster .

It's just another example of our city's infrastructure problems . I mean, we're always talking about how great Houston is, but when you look at things like potholes and road construction, it's clear that we need to do better . And honestly, it's not just a matter of fixing the roads - it's also about making sure our city officials are taking responsibility for maintaining them . Until then, drivers in Houston will just have to deal with more traffic jams and frustrated commutes .

Ugh , this pothole drama is getting old! One careless rock near a freeway joint can cause so much chaos . It's like, hello! Fix the roads already ! We don't need more damaged tires or delayed commutes . TxDOT needs to step up their game and prioritize road maintenance . The Houston Police Department is all like "yay, we fixed it" , but what about the actual repairs? We need action, not just empty words . Let's hope they get it done ASAP !

Ugh, can't believe this pothole caused so much trouble . It's just a minor fix for the city to do, but I guess it'll be a while before they get around to it. And what's with the design of that freeway joint? Sounds like a recipe for disaster! . TxDOT needs to step up their game and make sure our roads are in better shape before more people get hurt or their cars get damaged. This is just another example of why I hate driving in Houston . And can we please get some better traffic management? Blocking three out of four lanes on the westbound East Freeway was just a waste of time . Just hope someone gets to fix that pothole soon!

Ugh I mean, come on... a pothole that bad? And not just any pothole, but one that causes 10 cars to get flat tires . I've seen some rough roads in my time, but this is just ridiculous. And what's with the design of these freeway joints anyway? Apparently, they're meant to reduce stress on the road, but it looks like all that did was make a giant hazard zone . The fact that HPD didn't get there fast enough to prevent some damage is just frustrating too . I mean, can't they prioritize maintenance or something? It's not like this is some isolated incident, we've been hearing about these kinds of problems on the roads for years... sigh

Ugh, another day, another major traffic jam ! I swear, potholes are like a never-ending nightmare for us drivers. And to think, it's not just a one-time thing, it's a regular occurrence in Houston! They really need to step up their maintenance game ASAP . It's just common sense, guys - if you're gonna put a rock near a freeway joint, make sure it's properly secured or fix the design issue already . TxDOT needs to get on top of this and start patching those roads ASAP! The fact that multiple cars got damaged tires is just ridiculous . Can't we get some decent infrastructure around here?

man, this pothole is like a perfect example of how our infrastructure game is whack . I mean, you gotta wonder how something as simple as a freeway joint can go so wrong. It's like the city forgot that maintenance is key to keeping our roads safe and functional . TxDOT needs to step up their game and allocate more funds to fixing these kinds of issues ASAP . We can't keep relying on Band-Aid solutions, we need to take a holistic approach to repairing our infrastructure so that we don't end up like other cities that are facing similar problems . And what's with the lack of communication from TxDOT? If they're gonna block lanes, shouldn't they be giving drivers an update on when it'll get fixed? It's time for some transparency and accountability in our city's decision-making process

Ugh, I'm so over potholes on our freeways . It's just not fair to drivers who have to deal with them every day. Like, what's up with that design feature they put in the freeway joint? You'd think it would help reduce stress on the road, but nope! Just created a recipe for disaster. And now we're seeing 10 vehicles with damaged tires... that's just ridiculous .

I'm all for infrastructure improvements, but it seems like Houston is doing a pretty poor job of keeping our roads in shape. I mean, can't they prioritize the repairs? Motorists are already stuck in traffic long enough without having to deal with this kind of thing too. Let's hope TxDOT gets their act together and fixes those potholes ASAP .

I'm just saying, it's time for some real action on this one . We need better roads, not just a bunch of Band-Aid solutions that don't really fix the problem. Prioritize our infrastructure and let's get those repairs done!

Ugh, another pothole nightmare ! I mean, who designs a freeway joint that's just gonna be a giant stress point for cars? Like, come on guys! It's not that hard to keep the roads in decent shape. And 10 vehicles with damaged tires? That's crazy . What's even more annoying is that it's not like this is a new problem - I've been hearing about these "intentional gaps" in concrete for years, and they always seem to end up being giant headaches. We need some real action from TxDOT here, pronto !

Ugh, another example of how our roads just aren't getting the TLC they need . I mean, think about it, we're always driving around, going about our daily lives, and then BAM! Some pothole hits a tire and suddenly everyone's stuck in traffic . It's not just frustrating for us drivers, but also for our fellow commuters who might be running late or have to deal with the stress of it all.

And don't even get me started on those freeway joints – what were they thinking? I've seen them before and thought, "Hey, that's some clever design". But nope, just more proof that we need to step up our infrastructure game. It's time for the city officials to listen and take action!

Wow , just imagine driving home from work with your tire blown out because of a pothole ! That's what happened to like 10 cars on the East Freeway last night. The worst part is, that freeway joint was designed to reduce stress on the road, but still, it didn't save those poor drivers . I mean, how can we expect our infrastructure to be safe if we're not even fixing these little problems? Interesting how TxDOT thinks repairing it quickly will solve the issue... like that's gonna happen soon .

Ugh, just saw this news and I'm still fuming about it . Like, who designs a freeway joint that's just gonna be a giant headache for drivers? It's not like it's rocket science or anything! TxDOT needs to get its act together and fix these potholes ASAP, before someone gets seriously hurt . And can we talk about how ridiculous it is that there are still people driving around on roads with hazards like this? I mean, isn't the whole point of having a well-maintained infrastructure to make our lives easier? It seems like we're just throwing money at the problem and expecting everything to magically get fixed . Anyway, I'm not holding my breath...

Ugh, who even designs these things ? A rock near a freeway joint is literally all it took to bring down 10 cars... what's next, a pothole in your backyard . It's insane that HPD didn't clear that out sooner. And yeah, TxDOT needs to get on it ASAP, this isn't just a minor issue for commuters .

Ugh, another pothole causes chaos ! I was driving around Houston last night and it's like you never know when these things will pop up out of nowhere . 10 cars with damaged tires? That's just crazy! And for what? So some rock can sit there and cause a massive traffic jam? It doesn't make sense . TxDOT needs to get their act together and fix this ASAP before someone gets hurt . And honestly, it's just so frustrating when you're already stuck in traffic... who wants another delay .

Ugh , potholes are so frustrating! I was driving to my friend's place last week and hit a huge one on the highway. My tire's got this nasty dent in it now . It's like, can't we just get our roads fixed already?! The idea of road debris being intentional is crazy . Like, who designs these things?

I'm all for DIY solutions, so I've started looking into how to fix potholes myself . There are some pretty cool tutorials online about patching them up with concrete and gravel. It's not a permanent fix, but it could help until the roads get repaired properly .

The city should really prioritize fixing our infrastructure instead of just patching things up . We need safer roads for everyone, especially after an accident like this . Fingers crossed they get it done soon !

Pothole alert ! I guess that's one way to make a quick exit from work... just drive over it and call it a day ! But seriously, who designs a freeway joint in the first place? That's like putting a speed bump on a highway and then wondering why you got a speeding ticket . And now we're stuck with traffic jams because of some rock that fell from heaven (or not) . Can't they just fill it up already? My tires are still shaking in fear thinking about it !

OMG u guyz ! Like seriously can't believe this happened on the East Freeway!! 10 cars + damaged tires? That's just crazy talk What's even more annoying is that it was preventable if they had just done some basic maintenance . The design of that freeway joint is whack too - how can a "stress-reducing" feature lead to this?! I mean, we all know infrastructure issues are no joke, but come on! Can't TxDOT do better than this?