HOUSTON – It’s been a couple of months since the Texas Department of Transportation shut down two major connectors ramps of the 69/610 interchange. So how much work have crews been able to get done since the shutdown?
The answer: A LOT. Because of this major shutdown, TxDOT has been able to work at an incredible pace which allowed crews to move up the opening date, “allowing for that total closure gives us the opportunity to open a lot sooner,” said Danny Perez, PIO for TxDOT. The connectors that were supposed to be closed for a year, are now opening in a couple of months.
Here’s what’s opening first:
- The Southwest Freeway connector ramp, coming from the greenway plaza area, into the Galleria area. This is the Southwest Freeway southbound main lanes into the West Loop northbound main lanes.
- This ramp is scheduled to open in September.
Next up:
- The second ramp is scheduled to open -- late Fall.
- It’s the bigger one, coming inbound from the Sharpstown area into the Galleria, the Southwest Freeway connector to the West Loop northbound main lanes.
In the works
“So the next ramp we’ll be closing next, which will be sometime next year, Southwest Freeway southbound ramp to 610 southbound main lanes,” said Perez.
This will affect drivers coming from downtown Houston, for example, into Bellaire. This is set to happen next year. The project is still on track for completion in 2024.
Upcoming closures
- Before the ramps are open in all their glory, a set of total closures to Southwest Freeway have to happen first:
- Southwest Freeway northbound and southbound main lanes at IH-610 West Loop:
- Total Closure Continuously from 9 p.m. Friday, August 20 to 5 a.m., Monday, August 23. Southbound Traffic: Take connector to IH 610 Southbound main lanes. Take Fournace Pl./Bissonnet St. exit onto IH-610 southbound feeder. Continue through Fournace Pl. intersection. U-turn at Bissonnet St. onto IH 610 northbound feeder. Take the next entrance ramp onto IH-610 northbound main lanes. Take connector to IH-69 southbound main lanes. Northbound Traffic: Take connector to IH 610 southbound main lanes. Take Bellaire Blvd. exit onto IH-610 southbound feeder. U-turn at Bellaire Blvd. onto IH-610 northbound feeder. Take the next entrance ramp onto IH-610 northbound main lanes. Take connector to IH-69 northbound main lanes.