be prepared to stop

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

610 loop interchange Southwest Freeway Houston I-69

Well, this should be fun.

Photo courtesy of TxDOT

Aside from holiday traffic, Houston drivers have another headache to deal with this weekend. All northbound mainlanes of the 610 West Loop between the Southwest Freeway and Richmond Avenue will be closed 9 pm Friday, December 10 until 5 am Monday, December 13, the Texas Department of Transportation announced.

All traffic will be detoured to the frontage road via the Westheimer exit.

If that’s not enough, two southbound mainlanes of 610 West Loop at the Southwest Freeway will also be closed during construction beginning 9 pm Friday, December 10 until noon Sunday, December 12.

Crews will continue preparation for upcoming work on the 610 West Loop mainlanes bridge over I-69, according to a press release. Obviously, motorists should expect delays and are advised to consider an alternate route. Police officers will be onsite to assist with traffic, which should be considerable.

As CultureMap previously reported, this I-69/I-610 interchange is a major connection point of two extremely busy highways. The $259 million project aims to improve mobility by widening the connector ramps to two lanes, increasing sight distances, and providing remedies to eliminate weaving.

TxDOT notes in a press release that this project has incentives and disincentives to encourage the contractor to complete various phases sooner than anticipated. (One can hope.)

For more information, drivers can visit Houston TranStar and at HOU610and69, or follow @HOU610at69 on Twitter for updates.

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no more trips to Colorado

Bill to legalize marijuana in Texas filed by Dallas Democrat

Photo courtesy of Texas Original

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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