CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — 9:45 AM: U.S. 181 has reopened, per authorities with the Portland PD.
Authorities with TxDOT and the police department told 3NEWS that wind and rain from Tropical Storm Alberto caused a powerline to fall in the roadway between 1-2 a.m. on Thursday morning. The highway was originally expected to be closed for several more hours while police directed traffic and worked to keep AEP crews safe.
7 AM UPDATE:
Lt. Ronnie Owen with Portland PD said that the highways are expected to be closed for the next 7-8 hours. Authorities are asking drivers in the Gregory-Portland area to be patient as crews work to replace a powerline pole that caught fire around 1:18 a.m. Thursday.
Owen said that drivers can go around through Sinton or another route to get where they need to go- but US 181 will not be available to them.
The original report taken by police and fire crews stated that the fire caused the pole to collapse onto the highway, which has now been shut down to and from Gregory in the north and southbound lanes of U.S. 181. The east and westbound lanes of State Hwy. 35 are also closed.
Authorities are providing traffic control in the area as they work to keep AEP crews stay safe on the highway. They are asking drivers to be mindful and stay cautious.
For the latest updates on road closures, you can visit TxDOT's Drive Texas.
6:30 AM UPDATE
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6:15 AM UPDATE:
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6:00 AM UPDATE:
The Portland Chief of Police confirmed to 3NEWS that a downed powerline caught fire and fell into the roadway around 2 a.m. The highways are expected to be closed for a few more hours this morning.
AEP, DPS and Portland PD were on the scene working to keep the roadway safe.
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5:55 UPDATE:
TxDOT and the Portland Chief of Police have confirmed that powerlines went down due to wind and rain from Tropical Storm Alberto. They went down at around 2 a.m.
Emergency vehicles are in the area helping to direct traffic as lanes remain closed in the popular interchange.
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From tornado warnings to heavy rain and high wind, the Coastal Bend is still feeling the effects of Tropical Storm Alberto.
US 181 & State Hwy. 35 are closed due to downed electrical lines, according to TxDOT's Drive Texas.
If you are traveling from Corpus to Gregory, Portland or Ingleside, the highway closures will likely have an impact on your journey. We are waiting for confirmation from TxDOT as to whether or not the downed electrical lines were caused by Tropical Storm Alberto.
If you are still on the roadway, take caution while driving.
Information is limited at this time, follow along for more details.