HOUSTON — Air 11 was over downtown Houston's north side Friday morning where a major route in and out of the area has finally opened.
Congresswoman Sylvia Garcia, TxDOT Houston District Engineer Eliza Paul and other elected officials held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Elysian Viaduct. The bridge is hard to miss as you pass under it along I-10 because of its multicolor support columns:
The bridge is located along Elysian Street, a route that brings drivers in and out of the downtown area's north side right into the Minute Maid Park neighborhood.
Elysian connects to La Branch (heading southbound) and Crawford (heading northbound):
Also in traffic news:
Fred Hartman Bridge closures planned — what you need to know in the Baytown area
From TXDOT:
HOUSTON – TxDOT will begin making repairs to a portion of the Fred Hartman bridge this weekend. During a routine inspection last year, crews found some fractures along the joint and immediately repaired the joint with steel plates and later asphalt.
The $2.5 million emergency contract was approved to replace the modular joint. It took about six months to design and fabricate.
In order to replace the joint on the southbound portion of the bridge, crews will close all southbound mainlanes on the Fred Hartman bridge and then close the northbound mainlanes the following weekend.
• During construction, lanes will be placed in a contraflow configuration to allow for two southbound and two northbound travel lanes on the northbound bridge.
• Beginning Friday, July 9 at 9 p.m. crews will close one left lane on SH 225 from Sens Rd. to SH 146 to prepare the lanes for contraflow. This closure will last until the project’s completion.
• Beginning Friday, July 16 at 9 p.m. until Monday, July 19 at 5 a.m. crews will close the SH 146 northbound mainlanes at SH 225 to implement the temporary contraflow traffic pattern and place the temporary barrier.
Motorists traveling northbound will detour to SH 146 north to SH 225 west to IH-610 north to IH-10 east.
• Beginning Friday, July 23 at 9 p.m. until Monday, July 26 at 5 a.m. crews will close the SH 146 southbound mainlanes at Missouri St.
Motorists traveling southbound will detour to SH 146 south to Spur 330 north to IH 10 west to IH 610 south to SH 225 east.
It is recommended that motorists seek an alternate route during the time of these closures.
On July 26 at 5 a.m. traffic will open to a reduced contraflow pattern and remain for the duration of the project, about two months.