HOUSTON – Commuters traveling between downtown Houston and the Katy and Cypress areas should prepare for longer trips following the closure of the I-10 Katy Freeway–Downtown HOV connector.
What we know:
METRO is advising affected bus riders to allow an extra 15 to 30 minutes. The changes also include alternate boarding locations for people who normally use certain downtown stops.
Anna Carpenter, METRO’s Director of Communications, said buses will continue taking customers downtown and back home, but the closure means they must take different paths.
What is closed?
The closure affects the HOV connector linking the Katy Freeway near Studemont Street with downtown Houston. It began October 9 as part of TxDOT’s I-10 White Oak Bayou project.
The entire Katy Freeway and the entire HOV system are not closed. However, buses and drivers who normally use this connector must find another way into or out of downtown.
Why is TxDOT doing this work?
Kris Hadley, a public information officer for TxDOT’s Houston District, said the project will elevate I-10’s main lanes between I-45 and Heights Boulevard to address flooding from White Oak Bayou.
The work includes demolishing and rebuilding the downtown HOV connector.
The estimated reopening schedule is:
Heading into downtown: Fall 2027.
Heading out of downtown toward Katy: Summer 2028.
Hadley said the larger project is expected to wrap up around summer 2028. Those dates are estimates and could change.
How will buses get downtown?
Carpenter said affected buses may use I-10’s main lanes or alternate routes along Washington Avenue and Memorial Drive, depending on traffic.
That means riders who leave their vehicles at a Park & Ride could still spend additional time in traffic. Carpenter said drivers could also feel the effects as buses share those roads.
Carpenter, who told FOX 26 during our interview that she rides the 222 Grand Parkway service from the Katy area, said she gave herself an extra 30 minutes Monday because her bus could no longer use its usual ramp into downtown.
Katy and west Houston: Affected routes and alternate stops
Four Park & Ride routes along the I-10 corridor are affected:
221 Kingsland
222 Grand Parkway
228 Addicks
229 Grand Parkway/Kingsland/Addicks
For these routes, METRO lists the following downtown stop changes:
Cypress and northwest Houston: Affected routes and alternate stops
Three Park & Ride routes serving the Highway 290 corridor are affected:
216 West Little York/Northwest Station
217 Cypress
219 Cypress/Northwest Station/West Little York
For these routes, METRO lists the following downtown stop changes:
Wilcrest and Memorial: Local bus changes
Two local routes are also affected:
161 Wilcrest Express
162 Memorial Express
For these routes, METRO lists four affected downtown stops:
Check both your route number and stop number. Stops at the same intersection can have different numbers, and the alternate boarding location depends on which route you take.
What should commuters do before heading out?
METRO’s customer alerts say travel times may increase by 15 to 30 minutes. Riders should:
Build extra time into trips to work and back home.Check whether their usual downtown stop is still served by their route.Review current service alerts at RideMETRO.org.Call or text METRO at 713-635-4000 for help identifying the correct route or stop.
Hadley said TxDOT is coordinating with METRO to keep travelers informed. He urged drivers to remain patient, watch for construction crews and stay alert to changing traffic patterns.
The Source: FOX 26 interviews with METRO Communications Director Anna Carpenter and TxDOT Houston District Public Information Officer Kris Hadley, along with METRO’s closure map and customer alerts.