The Texas Department of Transportation is closing the I-45 Gulf Freeway ramp to I-69/288 southbound on Friday, January 25 at 9 pm. The closure will be permanent.

TxDOT will close and demolish the ramp that thousands of drivers use on a regular basis to navigate downtown, and build a new one.

The current I-69/288 southbound ramp exits to the left from the northbound lanes of the Gulf Freeway, which has long-plagued the interchange with weaving drivers who slow traffic and cause serious accidents, according to officials.

TxDOT says when the new ramp opens in early July, drivers will be able make a decision much farther back to exit to the right.

This improvement should reduce congestion through the area, which includes the University of Houston campus, says TxDOT.

During the six-month closure, TxDOT is recommending drivers on that corridor travel north on I-45 through downtown, exit east on I-10, then take I-69 southbound.

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