Crews are about to finish another segment of a big connector project on I-45 northbound at U.S. 59/I-69. The project is designed to eliminate “lane weaving” by building new direct connectors between the two freeways.

After last week's opening of the direct connector between I-45 northbound and U.S. 59/I-69 North, TxDOT will now open the new St. Joseph Parkway-Pease Street exit to help get traffic into downtown Houston.

TxDOT's Deidrea George said the revamped exit should be open by Monday morning's commute.

"It will feed directly from 45 northbound," explained George. "And there will also be two lanes versus the one-lane exit that was there."

And George said having a ground-level exit will greatly help traffic flow.

"The addition of the extra lane will definitely help to take traffic off of the freeway and move them out onto the frontage road quicker, which will also free up some of the traffic holdup on 45 northbound," George told Houston Public Media.

So where does the project go next? George said they'll now start construction on the Cullen Boulevard ramp.

"What the Cullen Boulevard entrance ramp will do, it will provide a ramp to the newly-elevated 69 north and southbound connector, which is Spur 5 now," added George.

TxDOT expects to complete the entire project by spring of next year.

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