Jesse Posted September 20, 2009 Share Posted September 20, 2009 The Houston traffic website says that some lanes will be closed through April, 2011!! That stinks. Traffic at the interchange was bad enough already. Anybody know what they're doing? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arivechi Posted September 21, 2009 Share Posted September 21, 2009 The Houston traffic website says that some lanes will be closed through April, 2011!! That stinks. Traffic at the interchange was bad enough already. Anybody know what they're doing?Rebuilding the roadway funded with the Stimulus money.One lane will be closed on N Loop in each direction from Ella to I45 till the project is over. And they seem to be re-doing all the I45/610 interchange ramps and bridges.TexDOT page for the project #027114223 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jesse Posted September 21, 2009 Author Share Posted September 21, 2009 (edited) Rebuilding the roadway funded with the Stimulus money.One lane will be closed on N Loop in each direction from Ella to I45 till the project is over. And they seem to be re-doing all the I45/610 interchange ramps and bridges.TexDOT page for the project #027114223Oh boy - it's gonna be a long 2 years! Thanks for the info Edited September 21, 2009 by Jesse Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AtticaFlinch Posted September 21, 2009 Share Posted September 21, 2009 Oh boy - it's gonna be a long 2 years! Thanks for the infoOne more good reason to never go to the north side of Houston. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JLWM8609 Posted September 22, 2009 Share Posted September 22, 2009 And they seem to be re-doing all the I45/610 interchange ramps and bridges.I don't see that in the plans you linked to. A full redesign and rebuild of that interchange isn't planned for another 10-20 years Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jesse Posted October 1, 2009 Author Share Posted October 1, 2009 Now it looks like they're gearing up to put all the Eastbound lanes on the Westbound half of the highway. That should be fun! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HoustonMidtown Posted October 1, 2009 Share Posted October 1, 2009 Now it looks like they're gearing up to put all the Eastbound lanes on the Westbound half of the highway. That should be fun!I drive through there every day to and from work - traffic is a mess since they started -- and they only have had one exit lane blocked....Im not looking forward to more than a year of that - I hope they finish early.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jesse Posted December 1, 2009 Author Share Posted December 1, 2009 I see no logical reason why the onramp from North Main onto 610 Eastbound has been closed for the past 2 weeks. It doesn't even show up on any of the TxDot 'closure' maps or lists. What gives? Is it closed indefinitely? (through the end of the project?) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
H8S 4 LIFE Posted December 1, 2009 Share Posted December 1, 2009 I see no logical reason why the onramp from North Main onto 610 Eastbound has been closed for the past 2 weeks. It doesn't even show up on any of the TxDot 'closure' maps or lists. What gives? Is it closed indefinitely? (through the end of the project?)That has puzzled me as well. I have to take Airline to 45 now, or go all the way down to the Nicholson on ramp and face the wrath of the Starbucks crowd. Has anyone noticed that they have removed several houses behind the tire shop facing 610 @ N. Main? Basically it was odd numbered side of 29th from Main almost to Columbia and it has been leveled. I was wondering if this was done as a result of 610's expansion or not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yankee_in_TX Posted December 2, 2009 Share Posted December 2, 2009 We moved to 25th about 2 weeks before this started. I work in the Galleria and now take 18th to the West Loop.I only drove it for about 2 weeks, but the roads seemed fine to me. I am guessing they are burning federal money because it would be better spent fixing the miles and miles of Houston roads with gargantuan pot holes and shoulders that have me buying new shocks every 6 months. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yankee_in_TX Posted December 3, 2009 Share Posted December 3, 2009 We moved to 25th about 2 weeks before this started. I work in the Galleria and now take 18th to the West Loop.I only drove it for about 2 weeks, but the roads seemed fine to me. I am guessing they are burning federal money because it would be better spent fixing the miles and miles of Houston roads with gargantuan pot holes and shoulders that have me buying new shocks every 6 months.(since I couldn't find the edit button)Except for San Felipe in between the West Loop and Sage, which they have fully rebuilt and are now going back and tearing up what they re-did. It's like the city planner is seeing how much of my 5 or 7 mile commute he can tear up.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jesse Posted January 5, 2010 Author Share Posted January 5, 2010 I see no logical reason why the onramp from North Main onto 610 Eastbound has been closed for the past 2 weeks. It doesn't even show up on any of the TxDot 'closure' maps or lists. What gives? Is it closed indefinitely? (through the end of the project?)Still closed. And now traffic is really starting to back up near the Starbucks, causing a true hazard. Folks who can't bring themselves to get out of their car for their morning $6 coffee back up the drive-thru line all the way to the 610 feeder, causing more traffic and hazards for people trying to get onto the onramp from Nicholson and the other sidestreets. Not to mention the fact that there are no signs saying that the Nicholson/Starbucks onramp is the last chance to get on 610 before being forced onto 45-S, so they freak out when passing the North Main onramp and don't know where to go.The influx of extra cars from the Nicholson onramp causes traffic backup on 610 directly, since there is no dedicated onramp lane - it just spits you straight into the right lane of traffic.So, to sum up my b1tching and complaining, I think closing the North Main onramp is stupid and has made things worse. Wah wah. Is there an office I could call somewhere to ask them what the deal is? Or should I just head over there at 2am and move the "road closed" signs myself? :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arivechi Posted February 21, 2010 Share Posted February 21, 2010 got on N Loop last night and all the west bound lanes have been moved over onto the newly finished portion. So it looks like the next phase of construction will be the old west-bound lanes. Couldn't see what was going on with the east bound side since it was dark. Driving on the new pavement is NICE. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T 2 THA C Posted February 26, 2010 Share Posted February 26, 2010 I'll be happy when they rebuild 45 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yankee_in_TX Posted March 1, 2010 Share Posted March 1, 2010 got on N Loop last night and all the west bound lanes have been moved over onto the newly finished portion. So it looks like the next phase of construction will be the old west-bound lanes. Couldn't see what was going on with the east bound side since it was dark. Driving on the new pavement is NICE.Nice, but by no means NEEDED, would you agree? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JLWM8609 Posted March 1, 2010 Share Posted March 1, 2010 (edited) Nice, but by no means NEEDED, would you agree?The pavement seemed ok as-is from a driver's standpoint, but I'm no highway engineer so I can't say for certain. That highway was originally constructed from 1960-1963 and resurfaced with no modifications to the road configuration sometime around the early to mid 80s. Basically, it's a late 50s designed freeway with 80s pavement. I haven't been out there in a while, but I hope they aren't just going to slap down new pavement and be done. I hope they are also going to do some modifications to the road configuration (esp. concerning lane balance) to bring it up to current design standards. Edited March 1, 2010 by JLWM8609 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jesse Posted March 26, 2010 Author Share Posted March 26, 2010 The pavement seemed ok as-is from a driver's standpoint, but I'm no highway engineer so I can't say for certain. That highway was originally constructed from 1960-1963 and resurfaced with no modifications to the road configuration sometime around the early to mid 80s. Basically, it's a late 50s designed freeway with 80s pavement. I haven't been out there in a while, but I hope they aren't just going to slap down new pavement and be done. I hope they are also going to do some modifications to the road configuration (esp. concerning lane balance) to bring it up to current design standards.Seems like they've repaved everything but the tops of the bridges/overpasses (at least near N. Main, Yale, etc). Don't tell me they're aiming for a 90% job.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JLWM8609 Posted March 29, 2010 Share Posted March 29, 2010 Seems like they've repaved everything but the tops of the bridges/overpasses (at least near N. Main, Yale, etc). Don't tell me they're aiming for a 90% job....It wouldn't be out of the ordinary. It's a common practice, especially if the structural evaluation of the bridge shows it to be ok. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
20thStDad Posted March 29, 2010 Share Posted March 29, 2010 When do I get my eastbound Durham/Shepherd exit back? Doesn't look like soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hartmann Posted April 5, 2010 Share Posted April 5, 2010 Seems like they've repaved everything but the tops of the bridges/overpasses (at least near N. Main, Yale, etc). Don't tell me they're aiming for a 90% job....A few weeks ago they were knocking out the concrete from a part of the Shepherd/Durham overpass and replacing it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jesse Posted April 27, 2010 Author Share Posted April 27, 2010 When do I get my eastbound Durham/Shepherd exit back? Doesn't look like soon.According to the Transstar traffic page (hover over the 'construction' triangles), you're getting it back in JuneMy Eastbound N. Main onramp is still slated for April 2011. It makes no sense! There's almost no construction down that far, and it's caused too many near-miss accidents by having to circle West past Starbucks to get on 610 East. Too many folks coming off 610E at 75MPH and swirving across 3 lanes of traffic to get their drivethru double nonfat mochastupidchino.My wife said that someone moved the cones blocking the onramp last week sometime (my hero!) but the city moved them back shortly thereafter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ig2ba Posted May 3, 2010 Share Posted May 3, 2010 According to the Transstar traffic page (hover over the 'construction' triangles), you're getting it back in JuneMy Eastbound N. Main onramp is still slated for April 2011. It makes no sense! There's almost no construction down that far, and it's caused too many near-miss accidents by having to circle West past Starbucks to get on 610 East. Too many folks coming off 610E at 75MPH and swirving across 3 lanes of traffic to get their drivethru double nonfat mochastupidchino.My wife said that someone moved the cones blocking the onramp last week sometime (my hero!) but the city moved them back shortly thereafter.Are you sure it's not just a short merge distance for your on ramp? That's what it seemed like to me, since what was previously the shoulder is now a traffic lane. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jesse Posted May 3, 2010 Author Share Posted May 3, 2010 Are you sure it's not just a short merge distance for your on ramp? That's what it seemed like to me, since what was previously the shoulder is now a traffic lane.Hmm. That's an interesting point. I hadn't looked at that, actually. I'll check it out tonight. But that onramp/shoulder lane still is exits to Airline, correct? Or did they change it from an 'Exit Only' to an 'Exit Optional' lane?The Nicholson onramp (at Starbucks) is quite short too though - It dumps you onto that new right-hand (formerly a dedicated merge) lane.I can still complain about them closing my onramp though, right? :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jesse Posted May 4, 2010 Author Share Posted May 4, 2010 Hmm. That's an interesting point. I hadn't looked at that, actually. I'll check it out tonight. But that onramp/shoulder lane still is exits to Airline, correct? Or did they change it from an 'Exit Only' to an 'Exit Optional' lane?The Nicholson onramp (at Starbucks) is quite short too though - It dumps you onto that new right-hand (formerly a dedicated merge) lane.I can still complain about them closing my onramp though, right? :-)Nope. Checked it this morning. The (closed) onramp at North Main does not merge. It sends cars to a dedicated "4th" lane on the right, which exits 1/2 mile later at Airline. There is no forced merge onto the 3 main lanes of 610E. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ig2ba Posted May 7, 2010 Share Posted May 7, 2010 My mistake. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jesse Posted January 17, 2011 Author Share Posted January 17, 2011 Hooray! The N. Main onramp is back open! Oh, happy day! I wonder if Starbucks will see a drop in morning business.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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