be prepared to stop

Prepare for yet another major closure at the Southwest Freeway and 610 West Loop

Expect north and southbound lane closures this weekend.

Photo courtesy of TxDOT

Inner Loop drivers who are already facing a major weekend closure of Memorial Drive near the park now have another traffic headache.

The Texas Department of Transportation will close southbound and northbound mainlaines on the Southwest Freeway (69) at Loop 610 West from Friday, June 24 to Monday, June 27.

Southbound lanes on 69 will close at 9 pm Friday and reopen at 5 am on Monday, per an announcement. TxDOT has provided this suggested detour. Drivers should:

Take connector to IH 610 northbound mainlanes
Take Westheimer exit onto 610 northbound frontage road
U-turn at Westheimer onto 610 southbound frontage road
Take next entrance ramp onto 69 southbound mainlanes

Meanwhile, drivers dealing with 69 mainlane northbound closures should:

Take connector to 610 southbound mainlanes
Take Fournace exit onto 610 southbound frontage road
U-turn at Bissonnet onto 610 northbound frontage road.
Take next entrance ramp onto 610 northbound mainlanes
Take connector to 69 northbound mainlanes

Yet another detour — drivers can:

Take connector to 610 northbound mainlanes
Take Westheimer. exit onto 610 northbound frontage road
U-turn at Westheimer onto 610 southbound frontage road
Take next entrance ramp onto 69 northbound mainlanes

Police officers will be hand to direct traffic. Motorists should expect delays, check their favorite navigation app before leaving, and alternate routes.

As CultureMap has previously reported, all this work is part of the $159 million I-610 West Loop/ I-69 Southwest Freeway Interchange project. The goal is to significantly enhance safety and improve mobility by widening the connector ramps to two lanes, increasing sight distances, and providing remedies to eliminate weaving, per TxDOT.

Those interested can find road closure information at www.houstontranstar.org and at www.HOU610at69.com. Twitter users can follow @HOU610at69 and @TxDOTHouston for the latest updates.

traffic transportation

the search is on

Game-changing leader of Houston Parks Board to retire after 10 years

Houston Parks Board CEO Beth White stands at a podium at the Captain Herod Memorial, Houston Mayor John Whitmire is seated nearby.

Photo by Melissa Taylor

Beth White speaking at the Captain Herod Memorial on January 28,2025

It's the end of an era at the Houston Parks Board (HPB). CEO Beth White announced Wednesday, May 21 that she will be retiring on January 1, 2026.

"As I reflect on my career, one of the most rewarding decisions I have made was coming to Houston," White said in a statement. "The entrepreneurial drive in this city is very powerful, our public-private partnership model is second to none, and the creativity at play is a model for the nation."

White began her stewardship of the HPB in 2016. Before coming to Houston, she oversaw Chicago's Trust for Public Land, guiding the development of the city's famous elevated trailway, the 606. Her experience made her perfect to lead the HPB as Houston dedicated itself to a radical improvement of its park spaces. With HPB responsible for 3,300 acres across 250 parks, as well as coordinating access to another 14,000 acres, it was an executive position for an area physically larger than many cities.

White proved herself a competent and visionary general of Houston's greenspaces. During her time, she led the revitalization of 23 Houston parks, mostly in marginalized and underserved communities. Her work netted her an appointment to the chair of the National Capital Planning Commission (NCPC) by former Presidents Barack Obama and Joe Biden in 2021, where she helped federal agencies make long-term plans about public space usage.

Perhaps her greatest accomplishment as CEO of HPD is the Bayou Greenway project, a bold re-imagining of Houston's waterways. The project has built 150 miles worth of trails that hug the various bayous and creeks meandering through Houston, turning what were often foot traffic barriers into an artery system of green trails connecting various park spaces across the city. Isolated pockets of community space are now linked through easy to use trail systems, making foot traffic across Houston simpler and more beautiful to experience.

“It is very gratifying to see that Houstonians are embracing parks and greenspace as an essential part of the region’s infrastructure. I am proud to have played a part in Houston’s green renaissance and look forward to continued progress thanks to the talented and dedicated staff and board at Houston Parks Board,” said White.

Cory King, president and CEO, and Ben Feit, principal, at Kittleman and Associates, are leading the search for suitable candidates to fill White's very big shoes. In the meantime, White will continue to lead the organization for the rest of the year.

"Houston Parks Board would not be in the position it is today without the guidance and leadership of Beth White. As we commemorate her throughout this year, we are grateful that Beth’s vision has helped transform our organization into a regional and national leader for parks and greenspace,” said Houston Parks Board chair Cullen Geiselman Muse. “We are also excited to begin the search for her successor. Houston is a unique region that offers different opportunities to maximize available space and create multi-purpose greenspaces that make real, lasting impacts on our communities. We look forward to sharing more information as the search progresses."

parks houston parks board beth white