Northbound and Southbound IH 45 and SH 19 Southbound Direct Connect will be closed at 7 p.m. Thursday, April 4, until 5 a.m. Friday, April 5. All northbound IH 45 traffic must exit using Exit 109 at Park Road 40, weather permitting. All southbound IH 45 traffic must exit using Exit 114 to Veteran’s Memorial Parkway. Southbound SH 19 to IH 45 Southbound traffic must exit at SH 75. This closure is necessary to place the concrete deck on the new SH 19 Southbound Direct Connect Bridge over IH 45. Message Boards have been placed advising of the closure and detour signs will be placed along the detour routes to alert and guide traffic through the detour.

The construction of the 6 miles widening project, Segment 1B of IH 45 from 0.5 miles north of Vick Springs Road to 0.3 miles north of SH 19 is underway.  This project will widen IH 45 to six lanes and will replace the State Park Road 40 bridges and southbound SH 19 Flyover. During the 3-year project, multiple lane shifts and relocation of traffic will take place at various times to accommodate construction activity. IH 45 and SB SH 19 will also be closed at various times for the safety of the traveling public and construction workers.

The reconstruction of IH 45 will take place in two major phases. Phase 1 is underway and will include the addition of Veteran’s Memorial Bridge, northbound SH 19 Bridge and a new southbound SH 19 flyover. Phase 2, will include replacement of the Park Road 40 bridges. Johnson Bros. Corporation, a Southland Company was awarded the construction contract for the amount of $116,878,722.89.

For more information, contact Bobby.Colwell@txdot.gov or (979) 778-9764.