Downtown exit off I-45 to reopen

Freeway ramp to Dallas, Pierce ready Monday

A major downtown freeway exit is expected to reopen this weekend after being out of service for nearly two months, sending commuters scrambling for options.

The southbound Interstate 45 exit to Dallas and Pierce streets is the one slated for reopening, said Danny Perez, spokesman for the Texas Department of Transportation’s Houston office.

“We’re being cautious, but it will hopefully be this weekend,” Perez said. “If a big storm rolls through, all bets are off.”

Weather permitting, the exit should be available for Monday morning commutes, though only after some weekend closings that could complicate downtown traffic. Crews preparing to reopen the exit ramp this weekend will temporarily close I-45 southbound and ramps to southbound I-45 at Interstate 10.

All of the closings are related to TxDOT’s ongoing rebuilding of the entrance ramp to southbound I-45 from Houston Avenue. The project realigns the entrance ramp so it does not enter the freeway from the left side, which officials said is a serious safety concern.

Work continues on the entrances from Houston and Memorial-Rusk, which shares the ramp to southbound I-45, Perez said.

Crews have made good progress since the early July closings, he said. Much of the bridge workis complete, and the Dallas and Pierce exit is reopening slightly ahead of the schedule officials initially predicted. The Houston entrance to southbound I-45 could open in late September, Perez said.

“They are moving quickly because we all want to get it done,” he said.