Plan ahead! US-59 Southwest Freeway closed in both directions at West Loop for 3 weekends in a row

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- Soaring temperatures and a strained Texas energy grid may be part of Mother's Day weekend.

So, what's a total freeway closure to add on? And it's not only for this coming weekend. Try the two weekends after.

The US-59 Southwest Freeway is closing in both directions at the I-610 West Loop, beginning Friday at 9 p.m. and running through the following Monday at 5 a.m., the Texas Department of Transportation says.

After that, it's rinse and repeat. The same closure is planned May 13-16 and May 20-23.

The reason for the total closure of the vital Houston artery? As many commuters are aware, the West Loop/Southwest Freeway interchange project is a work in progress.

Part of the process includes demolishing a connector ramp and the continued construction of mainlane bridge.

"Crews will continue construction on the new I-610 northhbound mainlane bridge over I-69 (US-59) as well as beginning demolition of the existing I-69 Southwest Freeway southbound connector ramp to I-610 West Loop southbound, which spans over the mainlanes of I-69 Southwest Freeway," a TxDOT release read.

What are some ways around it? According to TxDOT on the Houston TranStar website:

• US-59 southbound: Traffic will take the connector to I-610 northbound mainlanes, then get off at the Westheimer Road exit, U-turn at Westheimer, and then take the next entrance ramp onto I-69/US-59 southbound mainlanes.
• US-59 northbound: Motorists are being advised to take the connector to I-610 southbound mainlanes, exit Fournace Place, U-turn at Bissonnet Street, take the next entrance ramp onto I-610 northbound mainlanes, and then take the connector to the I-69/US-59 northbound mainlanes. Alternatively, drivers can take the connector to I-610 northbound mainlanes, exit Westheimer Road, U-Turn at Westheimer, then take the next entrance ramp onto I-69/US-59 northbound mainlanes.

Got all that?

That won't be the only closure planned to start this weekend. The Southwest Freeway southbound exit ramp to Chimney Rock will close for the next two months beginning at 9 p.m. Friday. Traffic will take the Fountain View exit ramp, U-turn at Fountain View onto I-69/US-59 northbound frontage road to reach Chimney Rock.

Just last week, crews began a two-year closure of the southbound connector ramp from the Southwest Freeway to the West Loop southbound. The closure is expected to last the duration of the project until 2024.