HOSPITALIZATIONS REPORTED IN SERIES OF ACCIDENTS ALONG HIGHWAY 290 IN WASHINGTON CO. TUESDAY

  

Several accidents were reported along Highway 290 Tuesday as travelers headed westbound to avoid Hurricane Laura.

Accidents occurred after 1:15 p.m. at the Holle Creek bridge crossing east of Burton, shortly after 5 p.m. at FM 1371 in Chappell Hill, and around 10:30 p.m. at the intersection of FM 2502 southwest of Burton.

DPS stated the accident at the Holle Creek crossing involved at least three vehicles, with reports of possible hospitalizations.  According to Washington County dispatch logs, the accident did not involve entrapment.

Update @ 9:45 a.m.: According to DPS Sergeant Alease Wilson, the accident at 8780 Highway 290 East at the intersection of FM 1371, near the Chevron gas station, involved two vehicles.  One of the vehicles had four occupants, including a toddler, while the other had a single occupant.  Wilson confirmed one patient was transported by helicopter and another three were taken by ambulance.  The toddler was uninjured.

Authorities were also called to the intersection of Highway 290 West and FM 2502 for a two vehicle crash with no entrapment.  The Brenham Fire Department checked and found no fluids leaking from the vehicles before they were released from the scene by DPS.  Information on the patients was not available.

According to Bob Colwell, Public Information Officer for TxDOT’s Bryan District, workers moved the construction barriers at the Holle Creek, Sheppard Creek, and Ganske Creek crossings—located near the Nueces Canyon Ranch and Artesian Park RV Campground—in order to open up the roads to two lanes.  Colwell said the contractor, James Construction Group, LLC, was at a place in construction where the lanes were about to be switched, but the contractor was instructed by TxDOT to open up to two lanes with the current emergency.

Colwell also said the signal timing on Highway 290 was adjusted at the request of DPS to alleviate long traffic queues in the westbound lanes.  He said TxDOT will continue to monitor all evacuee lanes of roadway.