News Release: from the Katy Freeway Public Information Office
Upcoming I-10 Westbound Mainlane Switch
Thursday, Oct 27th, 2005
I-10/KATY FREEWAY RECONSTRUCTION IS FULL STEAM AHEAD
"Upcoming I-10/Katy Freeway Traffic Changes Between West Loop and Beltway 8"
(Houston) - Drivers on I-10/Katy Freeway between the I-610/West Loop and Beltway 8 should expect numerous traffic changes over the course of this upcoming weekend. The most significant being that Friday, October 28 Williams Brothers Construction (WB) will be shifting the existing I-10 westbound mainlanes traffic onto the new westbound mainlanes pavement between Bingle and west of Gessner. In order to perform this traffic switch, two alternate lanes of I-10 westbound between Wirt/Chimney Rock and Beltway 8, the corresponding entrance and exit ramps and the I-10/Katy HOV lane will be closed beginning 9 PM, Friday, October 28 until 10 AM, Saturday, October 29. When the I-10 westbound mainlanes are fully re-opened to traffic, motorists will travel westbound on the new pavement north of the existing westbound lanes. Also this weekend the I-10 westbound exit ramp to Campbell and the northbound lanes of Campbell at I-10/ Katy Freeway will re-open.
Related to this switch, there will also be a number of short-term and long-term closures in the vicinity. The existing I-10 westbound frontage road from Campbell to west of Gessner will be closed. I-10 westbound frontage road traffic in the area will be detoured to Old Katy Road. The contractor will also temporarily close the I-10/Katy HOV lane exit ramp to I-10 westbound near Gessner. Motorists destined to exit I-10 westbound prior to the SH 6 and Addicks Park and Ride Lot exit will be directed to use a new temporary exit just west of Bingle. This closure will be effective until the I-10/Katy HOV lane traffic is shifted onto new pavement in late December 2005. Motorists should also note that the I-10 frontage road U-turn lanes at Campbell, Blalock, and Bunker Hill and the I-10 westbound to eastbound U-turn at Gessner will be closed, until further notice, while the contractor completes the construction of the various intersections.
The switch of traffic onto the new I-10 westbound mainlanes between Bingle and Beltway 8 is the first I-10 mainlane switch in the area between the two major freeway-to-freeway interchanges, I-610/West Loop and Beltway 8. The switch also marks successful completion of the first major milestone for the two contracts in this area. By successfully completing this milestone one month ahead of schedule, WB will capture the full amount of the incentive for early completion of the new I-10 westbound mainlanes, equal to $1.8 million.
For more information on the Katy Freeway Reconstruction Program including up-to-date information regarding other lane closures along the I-10 corridor, please visit the Katy Freeway website at www.katyfreeway.org or contact the Katy Freeway Public Information Office at 281-589-5924.
