Updated April 7

Officials working on the expansion of Hwy. 290 have announced a temporary closure of a part of the Hwy. 290 high occupancy vehicle lane.

Beginning 9 p.m. tonight, the HOV lane will be closed between Hempstead Road and the Northwest Transit Center on Old Katy Road. The closure will run for a little over one week—through 3 a.m., Monday, April 17—according to an alert released by the Texas Department of Transportation.

HOV users will be detoured to the following routes, which have drawn out on a map provided by TxDOT in a news alert:

Morning drivers heading inbound:

  • From the HOV lane, detour to the Hempstead Road exit.

  • Turn right onto Hempstead Road.

  • Turn left onto N. Post Oak Road.

  • Turn left onto Old Katy Road to the Northwest Transit Center.


Evening drivers heading outbound:

  • From the METRO Northwest Transit Center, turn right on Old Katy Road

  • Turn left onto the Loop 610 northbound frontage road

  • Continue on the new overpass over Hempstead Road and the railroad tracks towards W. 18th street.

  •  Turn left onto W. 18th street.

  • Turn left onto the Loop 610 southbound frontage road.

  • Make a U-turn just before Hempstead Road to the HOV lane.


The closure is necessary as the contractor progresses with bridge work on the Loop 610/Hwy. 290 interchange, said Karen Othon, public information officer with TxDOT's Houston District. Crews are also working on the new Hwy. 290 HOV lane between Dacoma Street and the Northwest Transit Center.

Working with the Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County, TxDOT has coordinated with the contractor to minimize the impact to HOV drivers during the closure, Othon said in the release. Additional signs will be in place directing drivers through the appropriate detours, and local law enforcement will also be on-site to help facilitate traffic during peak travel hours, she said.

For the latest news on Hwy. 290, visit www.my290.com or follow the project on Twitter @my290houston.

Find a list and interactive map of other Hwy. 290 closures set for this weekend, April 7-10, here.

The Texas Department of Transportation released a map to guide drivers through the HOV lane closure. The Texas Department of Transportation released a map to guide drivers through the HOV lane closure.[/caption]