Gulf Freeway commuters are facing days of gridlock

Work meant to unknot one of Houston’s most crippling bottlenecks south of downtown will tie up northbound traffic along Interstate 45 for days, officials warn.

Beginning at 9 p.m. Friday, crews will close two lanes of I-45 northbound from Cullen to Interstate 69, according to the Texas Department of Transportation. All four lanes will open at 5 a.m. Saturday — albeit briefly.

Crews will close three of the four northbound lanes at 9 p.m. Saturday. The freeway will remain narrowed to one lane from Telephone Road to near Interstate 69 until 5 a.m. Monday. The ramps from northbound I-45 to north- and southbound Interstate 69, also known as U.S. 59 in the Houston area, will remain open.

That means commuters coming from southeastern suburbs such as Clear Lake and Dickinson next week will face rough going as traffic constricts from four to two lanes for a few days. Officials “strongly encouraged” drivers to find alternative routes, if possible, including using Loop 610 and Texas 288 to access downtown.

“Guess I’ll work from home,” said Dan Lagarde, 45, who commutes into downtown from Webster four days a week.

Crews expect to open a third northbound I-45 lane by 5 a.m. Thursday. The fourth lane will not reopen until Dec. 1, TxDOT officials said.

During the closing, crews will create the concrete barrier that will separate northbound traffic and the new ramp connecting to I-69.

“That is the most laborintensive part of what they are doing this weekend,” said Deidrea George, spokeswoman for TxDOT in Houston.

The redesign relies on Spur 5, which funnels traffic parallel to I-45 into downtown.

When the project is completed in mid-2019, drivers will access both I-69 and downtown via Spur 5, eliminating a major bottleneck where motorists typically weave wildly left and right to get in the appropriate lanes. TxDOT officials have said the project will help keep freeway traffic moving and increase safety on the roadway.

Not all parts of the project have been applauded, however. Some bicycle commuters who rely on Scott Street to access the University of Houston worry the curving ramp planned from the freeway to the street will leave them vulnerable to speeding cars and trucks.

With the return of all four lanes of northbound I-45, drivers headed to downtown also could receive some relief, George said.

Plans call for reopening the ramp into downtown, which exits onto St. Joseph and Pease.

The exits have been closed since March.