Kyle McClenagan/HPM
A section of Main Street in downtown Houston closed for construction on the promenade project on April 24, 2026.
A light rail line in downtown Houston will be suspended this weekend as construction work continues on the pedestrian-friendly Main Street Promenade project, which is set to be completed in time for this summer’s FIFA World Cup matches.
The Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County (METRO) said this week that its METRORail Red Line service — stretching north to south from one side of Interstate 610 to the other and passing through downtown — will be interrupted on Saturday and Sunday “to accommodate rail system improvements and ongoing work related to the Main Street Promenade project.”
According to METRO, shuttle buses will instead be operating every 10 minutes between the Red Line’s “Northline Transit Center/ HCC” and “Downtown Transit Center” stations.
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The city of Houston approved the Main Street Promenade project in March 2023. The project has been spearheaded by Downtown Houston+ — a coalition made up of Central Houston, Inc., Center Houston Civic Improvement, Houston Downtown Management District, Downtown Redevelopment Authority and Downtown Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone (TIRZ 3).
The Main Street Promenade project stretches across seven blocks of Houston’s downtown thoroughfare, running from Rusk Street to Commerce Street.
Construction for the project began last year and is expected to be completed by June, just in time for the World Cup, during which Houston will be hosting seven games between June 14 and July 4.
Downtown Houston+ unveiled renderings of the $12 million project in late 2024. One of the main goals of the project is to make the seven-block stretch of Main Street pedestrian only and close off vehicle traffic, while still allowing for the Red Line to travel through the middle of Main Street.
According to Downtown Houston+, nearly all of the east and west sides of the seven-block stretch are “substantially complete,” meaning the expanded pedestrian walkways are open and the roadway construction has been finished, but some landscaping work is still ongoing.
Kyle McClenagan/HPM
A nearly completed section of the Houston Main Street Promenade project on April 24, 2026.
The Downtown Houston+ website says that only the east side of Main Street from Prairie to Franklin Street is still under active construction. “Finishing touches” to the project, including new lighting, fencing and landscaping, were set to be added throughout April, according to the coalition.
The promenade now stands in stark contrast to the majority of Bayou City — known for its car-centric infrastructure. The seven-block stretch downtown appeared nearly complete Friday with brick walkways lining the storefronts along either side of the Red Line.
Businesses along the promenade can now apply for permits and grants to take advantage of the extended walkways outside their storefronts. More information about how businesses can apply is available on the Downtown Houston+ website.