Allen Parkway construction slows traffic

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- Allen Parkway is one of the city's most traveled streets, and it leads right into downtown Houston. Dozens of road crews are now stationed on Allen Parkway, working to help slow down speeding traffic and make the surrounding area, including Buffalo Bayou Park, safe for pedestrians.

Kristian Borden is celebrating her son's fifth birthday at Buffalo Bayou Park.

"We love it, it's really nice to have a park that's a little bit different than the normal playground," Borden says.

It's those amenities, plus the jogging trails, and the sports fields that attract crowds of Houstonians to this new space. Allen Parkway is also known to attract speeders, and it's notorious for speed-related traffic crashes.

Bob Eury, of the Downtown Redevelopment Authority, has been working to make the area safer for pedestrians who are trying to access the park.

"Part of it is to have traffic slow down a little bit, to have safe crosswalks, so that residents can walk across safely," Eury says of the goals of the project.

Four stoplights and four crosswalks are being added to Allen Parkway at Dunlavy, Gilette, Taft, and Park Vista Drive.

"(It is) to help people who live to the south of Buffalo Bayou to be able to walk, ride a bike, push a baby jogger, whatever it is safely across Allen Parkway," Eury said.

When construction is complete, drivers will also have an easier time accessing the park. And 140 parking spaces are being added adjacent to the jogging trail.

"I would love more parking spaces because right now it is limited," Borden said.

Those spaces are being added to the old westbound lanes, where some of the heaviest construction and delays are happening now. Additional stoplights will also help regulate traffic in and out of downtown Houston, along with reducing the speed limit from 40 miles per hour to 35.

While the construction continues, TxDOT announced the following closures:

IH-45 NORTH

Southbound Entrance Ramp from ALLEN PARKWAY. Total Closure. Closed permanently beginning Friday, July 8 at 9pm. A new ramp will be constructed and will be open to traffic in late 2016. Detour: continue eastbound on Allen Parkway/ Dallas, right on Smith St., left on Jefferson St., and follow Jefferson to the I-45 southbound entrance ramp.

Southbound Entrance Ramp from HOUSTON AVE. Total Closure. Closed permanently beginning Friday, July 8 at 9pm. A new ramp will be constructed and will be open to traffic in late 2016. Detour: from Houston Avenue take a left onto Rusk St., right on Smith St., left on Jefferson, and follow Jefferson to the I-45 southbound entrance ramp.

HOUSTON AVENUE

Southbound from LUBBOCK to RUSK. Total Closure. Closed from 7:30p, Thursday, June 30 until further notice. A new Houston Avenue Bridge will be constructed and will be open to traffic in Fall 2016. Detour: from Houston Avenue take a left onto Rusk St., right on Smith St., left on Jefferson, and follow Jefferson to the I-45 southbound entrance ramp.