Morning Commute Nightmare: Westbound I-40 Gridlocked After Crash Near I-35 Junction

Oh boy, if you were trying to get through Oklahoma City on westbound I-40 this morning, chances are your commute hit a brick wall. A major traffic headache unfolded right at the crucial I-35/Ft. Smith Junction, effectively bringing everything to a grinding halt. We're talking about a full closure of those westbound lanes, all thanks to an early morning crash that just snarled up traffic something fierce.

It seems the incident, reported sometime around 5:30 AM, necessitated a complete shutdown of the entire westbound stretch. You know, when something like this happens on such a vital artery, it doesn't just slow things down; it brings them to a complete standstill. The Oklahoma Department of Transportation, or ODOT for short, quickly mobilized to the scene, working to manage the situation and hopefully get things cleared up as swiftly as possible. But for now? Well, the roads are just packed.

So, if you haven't left yet, or if you're stuck in the thick of it, the advice is pretty straightforward: find another way if you can. Authorities are urging drivers to absolutely seek out alternate routes, because honestly, that backup is looking pretty substantial, stretching for quite a distance. It’s one of those mornings where a little extra planning, or maybe just a lot of patience, is going to go a long, long way. This isn't just about a delay; it's about a significant disruption to thousands of people's morning routines. What a way to start the day, right?