Katy and Fulshear commuters who use the I-10 HOV lane to reach downtown Houston will lose that connection for up to two years starting Friday, Oct. 9.

The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) plans to close the Central Business District ramp at 9 p.m. Friday for demolition and reconstruction of a new elevated HOV connector, as KHOU first reported. The two-way ramp links I-10 between Studemont Street and Franklin Street in downtown Houston.

There is no quick alternative.

TxDOT estimates the eastbound connector will reopen in fall 2027. The westbound connector is not expected to reopen until summer 2028. The closure is part of TxDOT's I-10 White Oak Bayou project to improve mobility along the corridor. Lane reductions tied to the project and the Studemont Street Bridge demolition are already in place, CW39 reported.

Detours and bus reroutes

Drivers heading toward downtown should stay on the I-10 eastbound mainlanes and exit at Smith Street. Drivers leaving downtown can reach the I-10 westbound mainlanes from Louisiana Street. TxDOT said the closure is expected to push more traffic onto surrounding roadways.

METRO Park & Ride and local bus service along the I-10 Katy and U.S. 290 corridors will be rerouted. The agency identified two express lines used heavily by Katy-area riders as affected: the 161 Wilcrest Express and the 162 Memorial Express.

METRO said in a Facebook post on Tuesday, Oct. 6, that riders should plan for 15 to 30 minutes of additional travel time during peak commute hours. The agency said it will monitor traffic and adjust service as needed. Specific rerouting details for the 161 and 162 lines were not included in the announcement; riders can check RideMETRO.org for updates.

The closure comes days after Fort Bend Transit launched a new $4 commuter bus route on Monday, Oct. 5, connecting the Westpark Park & Ride on FM 1093 in Richmond with downtown Houston. That route, which we reported Sept. 23, was created after a community survey identified downtown as a top destination for Katy-Fulshear area riders. Fort Bend Transit Director Perri D'Armond said in September, when the route was announced, that "our riders and community members told us that Downtown Houston is a destination they want better access to, and we listened."

Riders on both METRO and Fort Bend Transit routes can check RideMETRO.org and FBCTransit.org for service updates as traffic patterns shift after Friday's closure.