A portion of Interstate 10 westbound through Houston will be reduced to two lanes until the middle of 2026 for an ongoing flood management project.
The lane reduction will begin on Friday, October 24th and will continue through mid 2026 without an exact completion date. The reduction will affect I-10 westbound from Interstate 45 to Houston Avenue. Currently I-10 westbound is operating with only three lanes from I-45 to Studemont Street.
According to Houston Public Media, the construction is a part of the White Oak Bayou Elevation project, which will build I-10 over the Houston Avenue Bridge, which will also be demolished and raised at least two inches to fit TxDOT’s modern clearance standards. Demolition of the Houston Avenue Bridge is not scheduled until 2027.
“This closure [of I-10 WB lanes] is necessary to complete the construction of the new elevated westbound mainlanes, which will overlap the footprint of the existing westbound mainlanes,” TxDOT said in a press release.
The Houston Avenue Bridge is notorious in the city for semi truck strikes. The most recent crash occurred on Sunday, October 5th, making for 70 in 2025 alone. The 60-year-old bridge currently has a clearance of 14 feet 3 inches.
“Unfortunately, many semi-trucks and oversized loads are either operating without the necessary permits that designate approved travel routes or are deliberately ignoring those routes in favor of shortcuts,” said TxDOT spokesperson Kristina Hadley. “When an oversized load is detected, the system activates flashing signs to alert the driver to exit.”
The following traffic changes will also be made as a part of the $407 million project.
- The complete closure of the I-45 southbound direct connector to I-10 westbound. Estimated reopening of mid-2026.
- The complete closure of the I-10 direct connector to I-45 northbound. Estimated reopening of mid 2028.
