I-45 NB Ramp To Highway 59 NB To Close For Six Months

[placoors]

Saw this on the news this morning.

 

http://abc13.com/traffic/gulf-freeway-ramp-to-close-for-six-months/2716294/

[JLWM8609]

Original thread: 

 

[Blue Dogs]

Now that's interesting. 

[Triton]

Does anyone have an update on how this project is coming along? Any pics?

[cspwal]

The new ramp curving up from Cullen to the Downtown Connector new ramp to 59 is almost done.  I haven't really seen any work being done on columns further west of where the HOV lane goes onto 45.

 

[Triton]

20 hours ago, cspwal said:

The new ramp curving up from Cullen to the Downtown Connector new ramp to 59 is almost done.  I haven't really seen any work being done on columns further west of where the HOV lane goes onto 45.

 

Thanks!

[Twitter1]

Wrong thread.

Edited April 7, 2018 by Twitter1

[Triton]

I-45 Ramps to I-69 Reconstruction by Marc longoria, on Flickr

 

I-45 north ramp to I-69 connected... I wonder if perhaps they'll wait for the entire project to be finished before opening it or whether they'll open at least the north ramp first.

 

I-45 Ramps to I-69 Reconstruction by Marc longoria, on Flickr

 

I-45 Ramps to I-69 Reconstruction by Marc longoria, on Flickr

 

I-45 Ramps to I-69 Reconstruction by Marc longoria, on Flickr

 

I-45 Ramps to I-69 Reconstruction by Marc longoria, on Flickr

[cspwal]

That is a long ramp 

[BigFootsSocks]

Are these not going to be torn down for the upcoming 45 project?

[cspwal]

I think they are designed to work with the 45 project

[Blue Dogs]

7 hours ago, cspwal said:

I think they are designed to work with the 45 project

Anything new in terms of updated developments ?

[JLWM8609]

15 hours ago, cspwal said:

I think they are designed to work with the 45 project

They are. They appear in the latest schematics. Interestingly enough, the brand new I-45 NB bridge over White Oak bayou won't be used in the new project.

[Triton]

On 6/17/2018 at 3:17 PM, JLWM8609 said:

They are. They appear in the latest schematics. Interestingly enough, the brand new I-45 NB bridge over White Oak bayou won't be used in the new project.

 

I noticed that too. Very odd. But, most likely, it will be 10 years from now before that bridge is ever touched again.

[ADCS]

Any clue as to why the bridge aesthetics are so spartan, and not in line with the regional design plan?

[JLWM8609]

4 minutes ago, ADCS said:

Any clue as to why the bridge aesthetics are so spartan, and not in line with the regional design plan?

 

My guess is to fit in better with the older structures from the 70s and 80s that the new bridges are tying into.

Edited June 19, 2018 by JLWM8609

[Triton]

Feels like the ramp going to 59S is going to open soon, right? Anyone have any progress pics?

[hindesky]

2 minutes ago, Triton said:

Feels like the ramp going to 59S is going to open soon, right? Anyone have any progress pics?

I don't go up that ramp but do go by it from 59/69/288 to IH 45 southbound on my way to work, seems the only thing keeping from being ready was the retainer walls. Those look ready from my commuting vantage point.

[Triton]

On 6/16/2019 at 7:06 PM, Triton said:

Feels like the ramp going to 59S is going to open soon, right? Anyone have any progress pics?

It's open! Drove it tonight. Felt really smooth but man is that a tight turn going to I69 south or what! 

[hindesky]

16 hours ago, Triton said:

It's open! Drove it tonight. Felt really smooth but man is that a tight turn going to I69 south or what! 

Is it 1 or 2 lanes?

[Triton]

5 minutes ago, hindesky said:

Is it 1 or 2 lanes?

2 lanes southbound.

[hindesky]

So far this build has made my commute shear hell, will see if it helps me getting off at the St. Joseph/Pease exit.

[crock]

10 minutes ago, hindesky said:

So far this build has made my commute shear hell, will see if it helps me getting off at the St. Joseph/Pease exit.

 

i see 0 chance of the traffic they've caused from this change to be lessened in the least from when the 59s exist opens.   all the new traffic is literally from 3 right lanes merging into 1.

[JLWM8609]

Hopefully Chartres underneath the ramp has been re-opened so I can get directly to Pease in the mornings without detouring along Gray to one of the northbound streets.

[Triton]

The Cullen ramp was still closed last I checked this weekend.

[samagon]

I drove by it yesterday and the ramp at cullen is open.

 

I think a lot of people still don't know the ramp between 45 and 59 south is open.... considering how far it is to that ramp from the exit from the freeway, and how hard it is to see things, I wonder how long it will take people to realize it is open? sure, the signs don't say it's closed now, but I bet most don't even notice.

 

the surface streets that were blocked down near the interchange are still blocked. or at least, they were as of yesterday.

Edited June 28, 2019 by samagon

[Triton]

5 minutes ago, samagon said:

I drove by it yesterday and the ramp at cullen is open.

 

I think a lot of people still don't know the ramp between 45 and 59 south is open.... considering how far it is to that ramp from the exit from the freeway, and how hard it is to see things, I wonder how long it will take people to realize it is open? sure, the signs don't say it's closed now, but I bet most don't even notice.

 

the surface streets that were blocked down near the interchange are still blocked. or at least, they were as of yesterday.

 

The funny thing is, Google Maps doesn't even show the southbound ramp existing anymore.

[Tumbleweed_Tx]

Is the northbound I-45 ramp from the South Loop open now, too?

[samagon]

So, um, if the 'traffic fix' they hoped to implement is what has happened, then TXDOT needs to have some people sacked. 

 

the new solution is just as bad as it used to be.

 

if this is what the 45 project hopes to bring, they can keep it.

[BeerNut]

Yeah this horrible.  I normally exit 45NB to Emancipation and there is always traffic before my exit.  I used to bypass all this traffic on the old exit to Emancipation.

[cspwal]

It's not helped by the 2 entrances from Scott and Cullen (both have a decent amount of cars in the afternoon) that immediately have to get over while downtown traffic can't get over until you pass the Scott entrance.  It's a big demonstration of why they made the downtown destinations ramp in the first place

[Triton]

How's the traffic going to I-69? My wife is going to UofH and just wait until that traffic starts in a couple of weeks. Curious if that got better or worse.

[samagon]

26 minutes ago, Triton said:

How's the traffic going to I-69? My wife is going to UofH and just wait until that traffic starts in a couple of weeks. Curious if that got better or worse.

 

traffic getting onto 59/288 south is still light, traffic getting onto 59 north is very heavy. I never imagined there were that many people going from Gulf fwy to 59 north.

[Triton]

13 minutes ago, samagon said:

 

traffic getting onto 59/288 south is still light, traffic getting onto 59 north is very heavy. I never imagined there were that many people going from Gulf fwy to 59 north.

That sounds terrible. I really see traffic getting worse after this rebuild because build up from other highways will be easier to back up other roads now...

[samagon]

2 hours ago, Triton said:

That sounds terrible. I really see traffic getting worse after this rebuild because build up from other highways will be easier to back up other roads now...

 

it seems they didn't understand very well the needs. there are 2 SB lanes and 1 NB, so people ride in the SB lanes, then cut over at the last minute.

[crock]

On 8/7/2019 at 8:17 AM, samagon said:

So, um, if the 'traffic fix' they hoped to implement is what has happened, then TXDOT needs to have some people sacked. 

 

the new solution is just as bad as it used to be.

 

if this is what the 45 project hopes to bring, they can keep it.

 

i don't think this was about traffic as much as safety (correct me if i'm wrong?) bc people would have gnarly accidents trying to switch at the last minute at night.  

because, yea..... if this was about less congestion, then all the engineers at TXDOT need to be fired and never allowed to work on road design ever again.  It is worse, and it is worse literally at all times of day.  before this, if you took i45north before rush hour, there was very rarely congestion, now there is congestion 100% of the time, 2pm-traffic, 9pm-traffic.  it is miserable.... and it will only be worse when UH starts.  

 

[samagon]

1 hour ago, crock said:

 

i don't think this was about traffic as much as safety (correct me if i'm wrong?) bc people would have gnarly accidents trying to switch at the last minute at night.  

because, yea..... if this was about less congestion, then all the engineers at TXDOT need to be fired and never allowed to work on road design ever again.  It is worse, and it is worse literally at all times of day.  before this, if you took i45north before rush hour, there was very rarely congestion, now there is congestion 100% of the time, 2pm-traffic, 9pm-traffic.  it is miserable.... and it will only be worse when UH starts.  

 

 

I never witnessed a gnarly accident. there were always slow speed fender benders, but nothing gnarly.

 

It's too soon to tell if these are abated, but you've still got people cutting over through traffic at the last second, both at the entry from scott/exit to downtown, and at the SB59/NB59 locations. so the potential for traffic stopping accidents hasn't gone anywhere.

[cspwal]

I'd argue that there's now more than one place for gnarly accidents.  Before it was just at the Scott entrance, but now it can be there or up on the 59 ramp

[Triton]

The real test begins when classes start at UofH on August 19th.

[samagon]

I'm not even convinced that most people realize the connection to 59 is complete.

 

the volume of traffic that used to go from gulf to 59 is still lower than I remember.

[samagon]

recently, NB traffic seems to be horribly bad beginning near the bridge for Brays Bayou, and then opens up at the split for 59.

traffic is still bad for 3 lanes going to 2 lanes in prep for the pierce elevated, it typically starts before Scott street, and the traffic for people choosing at the last second to go north on 59 rather than south is usually backed up to the Cullen overpass.

this is in the afternoon, like anytime between 4 and 6, I stay away from the freeways in the mornings, but I imagine it's much worse.

what was the purpose of this project again? 

did the construction project at 610 and gulf freeway finish and all lanes are open? if that's not complete yet, this is only going to get worse.. 

[JLWM8609]

18 hours ago, samagon said:

recently, NB traffic seems to be horribly bad beginning near the bridge for Brays Bayou, and then opens up at the split for 59.

traffic is still bad for 3 lanes going to 2 lanes in prep for the pierce elevated, it typically starts before Scott street, and the traffic for people choosing at the last second to go north on 59 rather than south is usually backed up to the Cullen overpass.

this is in the afternoon, like anytime between 4 and 6, I stay away from the freeways in the mornings, but I imagine it's much worse.

what was the purpose of this project again? 

did the construction project at 610 and gulf freeway finish and all lanes are open? if that's not complete yet, this is only going to get worse.. 

The purpose was to untangle the backup and eliminate weaving caused by traffic entering at Scott and getting off at 59/288 and to eliminate the left lane exit to 59/288. It succeeded in eliminating the left lane exit and weaving, but like you said, there's still a backup caused by 45 NB going from 3 to 2 lanes, and I think Scott St. traffic entering so close to the Downtown exit may be a culprit, too. Perhaps eliminating the Scott St. onramp and directing I-45 NB traffic from Scott to the Cullen onramp or through downtown along St. Joseph Pkwy or Pease would help along with making both lanes of the downtown exit from 45NB exit only so it whittles down to 2 lanes without that taper after the exit. 

 

I think the project at 610 is complete. Both new flyover ramps are open.

[samagon]

there's still plenty of weaving where the traffic splits for 45n and 59/288. this last minute merging is what causes the slow down that goes back beyond Wayside.

and there's plenty of weaving once you're on the ramp to 59/288, again people waiting for the last second to decide where they want to go.

instead of all the weaving happening in one place though, it is spread out, so I guess that might reduce accidents.

[TacoDog]

On 4/30/2021 at 12:11 PM, samagon said:

 

and there's plenty of weaving once you're on the ramp to 59/288, again people waiting for the last second to decide where they want to go.

I don't know if it's the local daily drivers doing this or the people like me who moved here <5 years ago and seldomly venture on certain major highways. A few dozen people can slow traffic down for hours. 

[Montrose1100]

On 4/30/2021 at 2:38 AM, JLWM8609 said:

The purpose was to untangle the backup and eliminate weaving caused by traffic entering at Scott and getting off at 59/288 and to eliminate the left lane exit to 59/288. It succeeded in eliminating the left lane exit and weaving, but like you said, there's still a backup caused by 45 NB going from 3 to 2 lanes, and I think Scott St. traffic entering so close to the Downtown exit may be a culprit, too. Perhaps eliminating the Scott St. onramp and directing I-45 NB traffic from Scott to the Cullen onramp or through downtown along St. Joseph Pkwy or Pease would help along with making both lanes of the downtown exit from 45NB exit only so it whittles down to 2 lanes without that taper after the exit. 

 

I think the project at 610 is complete. Both new flyover ramps are open.

45 really goes from 4 lanes to 2. 

I use the Scott Entrance when the train is blocking Cullen. Good to floor the pedal every once and a while to move over 3 lanes.

[Tumbleweed_Tx]

yep, it's spread out now. The bad bottleneck was caused by University of Houston traffic weaving through all at Scott St. 

[samagon]

so nearly 3 years later, I can safely say this was a $35 million dollar waste of money.

the goal was to reduce weaving and remove a left exit. which I presume both were done with a final goal to try and reduce traffic and accidents.

weaving is not at all reduced. there's just as many people weaving.

the incidents of accidents I witness on this stretch of road are about the same as it was before the move, and any travel times I have are no better than before.

I will say that the accidents I see are all very specifically located at the split exit to 59 in the NB lanes exclusively. so I guess there's that. but that might also be because I have no need to be on 45 anymore, so I don't see any of the accidents from people merging from 4 lanes to 2.

Edited yesterday at 02:23 PM by samagon