A tractor-trailer hauling several thousand gallons of oil overturned Tuesday on an Interstate 35 access road at Rueckle Road and Loop 337 in New Braunfels, splashing oil across the frontage road and shutting down the busy intersection while crews swarmed the scene. Officials said the main lanes of I-35 kept moving, but the access road stayed shut for hours as workers tackled the oily mess and got the truck ready to tow. Emergency responders remained on site throughout the cleanup.
The big rig was carrying "several thousand gallons of oil" when it rolled over near Rueckle Road and Loop 337, and police did not immediately release the cause of the crash, according to the San Antonio Express-News. The outlet reported that photos from the scene were credited to the New Braunfels Police Department.
Driver Unhurt; Cleanup Underway
Police said the driver walked away without injuries, even as the truck and its load did not, and that crews would have to pump off the oil before a wrecker could move the vehicle, according to the San Antonio Express-News. Officials expected several hours of work to offload product and scrub down the contaminated pavement to cut down on slick spots and safety hazards.
Why This Stretch Is Sensitive
The area around Loop 337 and Rueckle Road is already known as a traffic pinch point and the focus of a major TxDOT interchange overhaul. The City of New Braunfels lists a $33.66 million I-35 at Loop 337/Rueckle Road improvement project to add lanes and new turnaround access, according to the City of New Braunfels. With that kind of construction footprint in play, even a single truck incident can mean longer cleanups and more complicated detours for local drivers.
Traffic Impacts And Next Steps
Authorities kept the access road at the intersection closed while cleanup crews worked on the oil spill and prepared the truck to be moved, reiterating that traffic on I-35 itself was not affected. Officials had not released any additional information on what led to the rollover, and investigators were expected to follow up once the last of the oil and debris was cleared from the roadway.
