Following a bomb threat this Wednesday, traffic was brought to a standstill on Katy Freeway, but as of now, we can report that the roads are open once again. According to KHOU, the westbound lanes at Wilcrest Drive were shut down around 11:35 a.m. for a police investigation, blocking all mainlanes, frontage road lanes, and even the left and right shoulders, leaving no part of the westbound Katy Freeway at Wilcrest Drive accessible for a period of time.
During the closure, drivers were advised to exit before Wilcrest and use the Beltway 8 feeder or U.S. 59 westbound. Those near the Galleria or Westchase could take the Westpark Tollway, and local drivers could use Memorial Drive. Authorities recommended avoiding the area if possible and warned of heavy delays, with law enforcement and traffic crews on site. The freeway reopened at 12:45 p.m., and normal traffic resumed, as reported by KHOU.
Originating from a report to authorities concerning a possible explosive device in a vehicle, the threat proved to be a major cause for concern. At around 10:50 a.m., a caller advised officials that they had been tipped off about an explosive device inside a car, leading to the shutdown of the eastbound lanes of the freeway at Dairy Ashford Road with Houston Police Department officials quickly responding to the scene. The vehicle, a yellow pickup truck, was found in the 11000 block of the Katy Freeway near City Centre as per Click2Houston. After a careful inspection, officials found there was no bomb threat. The truck was towed to a nearby gas station for further checks, and all roads were reopened.
