Overturned 18-wheeler closes westbound US 290 in Cypress, five hospitalized

Westbound US 290 was shut down in Cypress after an overturned 18-wheeler spilled fuel near North Eldridge Parkway, tying up one of northwest Harris County’s busiest commuter routes and sending five people to local hospitals in stable condition.

The crash happened on the Northwest Freeway in the Cy-Fair area, where Houston TranStar logged the incident at 11:32 a.m. as a hazmat spill, heavy truck and accident. The shutdown came just as midday traffic built across the Cypress corridor, where drivers from Jersey Village, FM 1960 and surrounding neighborhoods depend on US 290 for work, school and errands.

The Cy-Fair Fire Department said westbound lanes at Eldridge would stay completely shut down while emergency units worked to clear the scene. The Harris County Hazardous Materials Response Team was also called in because the overturned truck leaked fuel, adding a spill response to an already serious wreck. Images from authorities showed pallets scattered across the lanes and tire parts thrown over the barricade.

Houston Public Media reported that five people were transported to local hospitals in stable condition after the crash near the intersection of 290 and North Eldridge Parkway. The Houston Chronicle said the westbound stretch was expected to remain closed for hours, underscoring how quickly a single big-rig crash can stall a major artery in a fast-growing part of Harris County.

For Cypress and the broader northwest side, the impact went beyond the immediate crash scene. US 290 carries heavy daily volume through a corridor that Texas Department of Transportation tracks closely with traffic-count data because congestion and demand remain central planning issues. When a freight truck overturns there, the closure does not just slow one block of freeway. It ripples through nearby roads, delays commutes, and can leave business deliveries, school pickups and appointments waiting until crews finish the cleanup and reopen the lanes.