traffic watch

Prepare for traffic headaches with Southwest Freeway weekend lane closures

610 loop interchange Southwest Freeway Houston I-69

All southbound main lanes of I-69 Southwest between Chimney Rock Road and Weslayan Street will be closed this weekend.

Photo courtesy of TxDOT

This summer, Houstonians have seen little relief from traffic headaches on major freeways. One major endeavor that has caused locals to brake (hard) is the I-610 West Loop/ I-69 Southwest Freeway interchange project, which continues this weekend, the Texas Department of Transportation announced.

As part of the continued work, TxDOT will close all southbound main lanes of I-69 Southwest between Chimney Rock Road and Weslayan Street from 9 pm Friday, August 9, until 5 am Monday, August 12. Some 30,000 south-bound drivers per day will be affected by the closure, TxDOT representative Danny Perez tells CultureMap.

Over the weekend, crews will be working on the foundations for the new I-610 West Loop southbound connector to I-69 Southwest Freeway northbound. Motorists should expect delays and plan to use an alternate route. Police officers will be onsite to assist with traffic control.

As previously reported, the I-69/I-610 interchange is a major connection point of two extremely busy highways serving the Greater Houston area. The $259 million project will significantly enhance safety and improve mobility by widening the connector ramps to two lanes, increasing sight distances, and providing remedies to eliminate weaving. The project has incentives and disincentives to encourage the contractor to complete various phases sooner than anticipated, according to TxDOT.

“Houston is growing — and that's a great thing. But, we have to address the significant growth here now. In order to get us to a point where we can provide relief, we have to have these closures in place,” Perez recently told CultureMap.

Commuters can find more information online here and here.

traffic transportation

no more trips to Colorado

Bill to legalize marijuana in Texas filed by Dallas Democrat

Photo courtesy of Texas Original

undefined

Texas Rep. Jessica González (D-Dallas) has filed a bill to legalize recreational marijuana in Texas. House Bill 1208 would legalize the cultivation, manufacturing, transportation, and sale of cannabis.

The bill would allow adults 21 and older to use, possess, and transport up to 2.5 ounces of marijuana for personal use. Adults could also keep up to 10 ounces of cannabis in their residence, as long as it is stored in a secure location.

Smoking or consuming cannabis while in a public place or in a car on a public road would not be allowed.

Gonzalez filed the bill in mid-November, one in a suite of bills that also included expanding insurance coverage for in vitro fertilization for LGBTQ couples; and requiring landlords to disclose all fees before a rental lease is signed.

Her bill was filed prior to an initiative launched by Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick on December 4 to ban THC products in Texas entirely.

In addition to legalizing recreational use, the bill also makes provisions for its production and sale including requiring that the packaging be child-resistent and clearly labeled, so that it's not confused for candy.

Businesses looking to grow, transport, test, or sell cannabis would need to be licensed by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation. A 10 percent tax would be imposed on the sale of all cannabis and cannabis products. Some of the profits would go towards funding public schools.

If passed, the bill would take effect on September 1, 2025.

Medical cannabis is currently legal in Texas under the Texas Compassionate Use Program, which allows low-THC cannabis to be prescribed for conditions such as epilepsy, MS, autism, cancer, and post-traumatic stress disorder.

Some cities have also approved decriminalization for the possession of four ounces or less of marijuana, including Austin, Bastrop, Dallas, Denton, Elgin, Killeen, and Lockhart.

politics marijuana