Houston drivers may want to think twice before hopping on the Katy Freeway this weekend.
Two major construction projects are set to hit Interstate 10 at the same time, starting Friday night and bringing a series of closures and detours near Memorial Park and the Heights that could snarl traffic through early Monday morning.
The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) says crews will begin a major traffic switch as part of the I-10 White Oak Bayou Elevation Project at 10 p.m. Friday. At the same time, the agency plans to shut down eastbound mainlanes of the Katy Freeway nearby for pavement repairs—meaning drivers could run into disruptions in multiple sections of one of Houston’s busiest roadways.
The White Oak Bayou project is aimed at raising sections of I-10 above the floodplain between Heights Boulevard and Interstate 45 to reduce flooding risks. The work also includes rebuilding the freeway’s HOV lanes and reconstructing the Houston Avenue Bridge.
The most immediate closure drivers will notice is a full shutdown of the westbound I-10 frontage road from Studemont Street to Heights Boulevard from 10 p.m. Friday through 5 a.m. Monday.
During that time, drivers heading north on Studemont will be directed to detour by turning left onto White Oak Drive, then left onto Heights Boulevard before reconnecting with the westbound frontage road and I-10 mainlanes.
Because one closure apparently wasn’t exciting enough, TxDOT will also shut down eastbound I-10 mainlanes at the same time for pavement repairs.
Transportation officials are urging drivers to plan ahead, expect delays and consider alternate routes if traveling through the area while the work is underway.
The weekend construction is part of a broader effort to improve drainage and modernize infrastructure along the Katy Freeway, one of the most heavily traveled highways in the Houston region.