WOODLANDS (KTRK) -- This weekend, the Woodlands is getting ready to play host to the Memorial Hermann Ironman Texas. It's the North American Championship. If you are driving in the area, expect a major traffic impact.
The Ironman courses will take place on major roads in Montgomery County and portions of north Harris County. The bike course will affect traffic along portions of Cypresswood, Kuykendahl and FM 2920, just to name a few. The run course will affect several neighborhoods and major thoroughfares, including portions of The Woodlands Parkway and Lake Woodlands Drive. Roads will be impacted between 7am and 10pm on Saturday. Market Street is a popular place to be on Saturday, so if you are planning to do some shopping or dining, you'll want to enter along Lake Woodlands Drive, Six Pines Drive, or Grogans Mill Road.
Find more information about the Memorial Hermann Ironman Texas traffic impact at thewoodlandstownship-tx.gov.
Also this weekend, contractors are scheduled to begin work on the US 290 westbound mainlanes from I-610 to W. 34th. This requires the US 290 exit off northbound I-610 West Loop be relocated from the left side of the freeway to the right side. Crews will be placing barrier, pavement markers and signs.
From 9am Friday through noon Sunday, three lanes will be closed on the 610 West Loop northbound from I-10 to W. 18th Street. The I-10 Katy Freeway westbound connector to 610 West Loop northbound will be closed. Drivers will be detoured to I-610 southbound, exit at Woodway/Memorial and U-turn. Intermittent closures will occur on the 610 North Loop westbound connector to US 290. Drivers will be forced onto the US 290 feeder road at the Dacoma exit. Then, the 610 West Loop northbound connector to 610 North Loop eastbound will be closed. Drivers will be detoured to the W. 18th exit.
After completion of the traffic switch, drivers will have six lanes from I-10 to US 290 -- two outside lanes exiting to US 290, three inside lanes continuing to I-610 North Loop eastbound, and a center lane exiting to W. 18th just past the US 290 exit.