How to avoid Nutcracker Market parking woes and other weekend traffic

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- The Nutcracker Market expects to welcome more than 100,000 shoppers to NRG Center this weekend.

The annual market, known as Houston's unofficial kick-off to the shopping season, runs Thursday through Sunday and offers goods from hundreds of vendors from across the country.

If you are planning to do some shopping, make a transportation plan in advance. Consider sharing the cost of $12 on-site parking and carpool.

Pedi-cabs will be available to help you get to and from your car with all of your shopping bags.

METRORail is also available. Just use Reliant Park station stop, right in front of NRG Center. New this year, if you plan to Uber, the official drop-off and pick-up location is in Red Lot #5, at the Kirby/McNee entrance.

Around town, you can also expect some major closures on the northwest side.

The US-290 eastbound lanes from Fairbanks North Houston to Tidwell will be shut down overnight from 9pm to 5am, through Tuesday. That closure will be extended until 11am on Saturday and Sunday morning.

As an alternate route, use the feeder road using the Fairbanks N. Houston exit. Construction will also be happening along the feeder road lanes, so expect major delays.

Also, there will be closures along the North Beltway this weekend. The North Beltway will be shut down westbound from John F. Kennedy Boulevard to the Hardy Toll Road.

The closure lasts from Friday 9pm until 5am on Monday, and it could affect your drive to Bush Intercontinental Airport. The best alternate is to use the feeder road.

Additionally, four westbound lanes form the Eastex US-59 to John F. Kennedy Boulevard will blocked from Friday at 8pm until Monday at 5am.

The Montrose Bridge revamp project is moving along, and this weekend you will notice a couple of new closures. Montrose Boulevard is closed overnights, from 10pm to 5am, through Monday, Nov. 14 (weather permitting); Graustark is alternate route. Also Dunlavy is closed for electrical work for approximately two weeks, beginning on Friday, Nov. 11.

Hazard - open

Woodhead - open (as of Tuesday, Nov. 8)

Montrose - both lanes closed nightly, 10pm to 5am, through Monday, Nov. 14 (weather permitting); Graustark is detour route

Dunlavy - closed for electrical work beginning tomorrow, Friday, Nov. 11 (estimated to be re-opened within two weeks)

Graustark - will be closed for electrical work once Dunlavy is complete