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. METRO is advising affected bus riders to allow an extra 15 to 30 minutes, and changes include alternate boarding locations for certain downtown stops.
The closure affects the HOV connector linking the Katy Freeway near Studemont Street with downtown Houston and began on October 9 as part of TxDOT’s I-10 White Oak Bayou project. The inbound connector is expected to reopen in fall 2027, and the outbound connector in summer 2028. The larger project is estimated to wrap up around summer 2028.
Affected buses may use I-10’s main lanes or alternate routes along Washington Avenue and Memorial Drive, depending on traffic. Four Park & Ride routes along the I-10 corridor (221, 222, 228, 229) and three serving the Highway 290 corridor (216, 217, 219) are affected, along with two local routes (161, 162).
METRO advises riders to build extra time into their trips, check whether their usual downtown stop is still served, review current service alerts at RideMETRO.org, or call/text 713-635-4000. TxDOT is coordinating with METRO to keep travelers informed and urges drivers to remain patient and alert to changing traffic patterns.
This information was compiled from 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, according to FOX 26 Houston.
