A wreck involving two 18 wheelers and an SUV on I-35 southbound, just north of Thomas Arnold Rd. exit has shut down the southbound lanes since about noon today (Wed. March 10 2016).

Hazardous materials (HAZMAT) crews have responded from Waco to clean up a fuel leak resulting from the wreck. Meanwhile, traffic sits on I-35 as far north as Temple.

Southbound travelers in the Temple area should seek a route to Highway 95 south in order to avoid the stoppage. Southbound travelers in Belton should seek a route to FM 1670 over the Stillhouse Hollow Dam to avoid the stoppage of traffic.

Northbound traffic is slow with onlookers.Earlier accidents on the northbound side of I-35 have  been cleared, but conditions are wet, slick and slow.

The latest from TXDOT public affairs spokesman Jodi Wheatley states: “Southbound incident involves 2 semis and an SUV, blocking all lanes. Estimating 4-6 hours to clear, detour route being set up now. Northbound slowdown appears to involve a stalled vehicle and drivers rubbernecking at the southbound crash site. At least one northbound lane is open.”

Subscribers to the TXDOT text messaging system report that they have not received any notices of the accidents today.

This is the second accident within a month involving 18-wheelers on the I-35 Mainlane Detour in Salado (created in an agreement between James Construction and TXDOT to allow faster construction of the Salado Plaza interchange and overpass) in which four lanes of traffic have been detoured into a space with no shoulders and concrete barriers on all sides. Both accidents resulted in spills and required HAZMAT spill remediation. The first accident, last month, required filters to be put in Salado Creek near the low water dam to catch any fuel spilling into the water there.