GALVESTON COUNTY, Texas – Drivers traveling through Galveston County will soon need to plan for a major traffic change as the Texas Department of Transportation prepares to permanently close a key connector ramp as part of its ongoing I-45 expansion project.
Beginning at 9 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 8, the SH 146 westbound connector ramp to I-45 southbound will permanently close to make room for the future I-45 main lanes.
Recommended Videos
The closure is part of TxDOT’s $226 million I-45 Gulf Freeway widening project between FM 519 and the Texas City Wye.
Overnight lane closures planned
To prepare for the traffic shift, TxDOT crews will also close two southbound main lanes of I-45 between FM 519 and Tiki Drive from 9 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 8, through 5 a.m. Monday, Aug. 10.
During the work:
- One southbound lane will remain open.
- The I-45 southbound entrance ramp from SH 6 will also close for striping.
- Drivers will be detoured via FM 519.
How traffic will be detoured
Once the connector ramp closes, drivers on SH 146 westbound heading to I-45 south will be redirected using a new traffic pattern.
The primary detour will take motorists west on SH 6 beneath I-45, where a new U-turn lane will provide access to the southbound main lanes.
Another option is to:
- Turn right onto the I-45 northbound frontage road from SH 146 westbound.
- Merge onto northbound I-45.
- Exit at FM 519.
- Make a U-turn and continue south on I-45.
Heavy trucks will follow a separate detour using FM 519 and the I-45 southbound frontage road.
What drivers should know
TxDOT said this traffic configuration is expected to remain in place for about two years while construction continues.
The overall I-45 expansion project is expected to be completed in 2030.
Motorists are encouraged to allow extra travel time, watch for changing traffic patterns and follow posted detour signs while crews complete the work.