An "unknown substance" wreaked havoc on Interstate 35E in the early hours of Monday, leading to a significant road closure and an ongoing mystery as to what caused the slick conditions that paralyzed traffic. Authorities cordoned off the northbound main lanes from Valwood Parkway to Frankford Road after a spill, believed to be from an elusive 18-wheeler, turned the roadway into a slippery trap around 1:00 a.m., according to The Dallas Express.
In a move to ensure motorist safety, the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) swung into action, estimating the highway would not return to its bustling norm for around three additional hours, causing traffic to snarl well into the rush hour. Drivers were reportedly meandering the spill site, urged by TxDOT to slow their momentum and consider alternate routes, as reported by WFAA.
The closure impacted countless commuters while the search for the responsible party intensified. Carrollton police indicated the substance made for a low-visibility situation, manifesting a particular kind of blindness that lasted approximately 30 minutes even after lanes opened up shortly after the 9 a.m. hour.
Following the hazardous spill, the Carrollton Police Department took to social media to alert the denizens of the morning's perils, suspecting a leak from an 18-wheeler was the spill's origin. All the while, the vehicle that slinked away into anonymity, according to police on the scene, left behind a stretch of highway hazarded by its unseen cargo.
