Ongoing I-45 construction will be a particular pain to Houstonians beginning Friday as crews start work on a seven-month project to improve Spur 5 into downtown.
The short stretch of freeway will be closed in the northbound direction so crews can demolish Spur 5 to build the new I-69/U.S. 59 northbound direct connector and build the Pease/St. Joseph Parkway exit at grade.
The goal of the $30.5 million project is to give the constantly congested corridor two direct connectors at the I-45 and I-69/U.S. 59 interchange, the Texas Department of Transportation said in a statement.
Drivers heading on Spur 5 will need to detour to the Scott/Downtown exit and then turn right to get the I-45 north frontage road. Or, drivers can get off at the Pease/St. Joseph Parkway exit.
According to TxDOT, the project plans to:
Reconstruct I-45 northbound to I-69/U.S. 59/288 southbound direct connector. The connector will be switched from a left exit to a right exit.
Reconstruct I-45 northbound to I-69/U.S. 59 northbound direct connector and relocate the exit further south.
Countruct a new Pease and St. Joseph Parkway exit ramp that will feed directly from I-45 northbound
Construct a new Cullen Boulevard entrance ramp from the I-45 north frontage road to the newly elevated I-69/U.S. 59 north and southbound connector ramp, which is currently Spur 5.
TxDOT plans to to completely finish its I-45 construction project in spring 2019.
This article appears in Mar 2-8, 2017.
