Oak Ridge North and The Woodlands transportation planners are hoping a small change in a lane designation along the I-45 access road will make a big difference in traffic congestion on the Woodlands Parkway overpass at I-45.

Oak Ridge North City Manager Vicky Rudy said a plan is nearing completion that will allow traffic traveling east over the overpass and taking the "clover leaf" around to the I-45 access road traveling north its own lane rather than having to yield to oncoming traffic.

"Now you will have a dedicated lane," she said. "There will not be that stop-and-go, waiting for traffic."

Rudy said the new lane dedication will be made possible by closing the clover leaf turn that takes northbound traffic under the overpass and around onto Woodlands Parkway.

"That [access ramp] will go away," she said. "You will not be able to get onto the Woodlands Parkway bridge going west at [that] clover leaf. To go west [onto Woodlands Parkway] from I-45 you can take the flyover."

The current lane designations cause severe backups onto Woodlands Parkway for cars wanting to go north on I-45.

Rudy said representatives from The Woodlands contacted Oak Ridge North regarding a plan to present to TxDOT, which owns the road. The plan was submitted to TxDOT and the new lane designation was approved. The project will be funded by TxDOT, Rudy said.

The new lane designation means traffic traveling west on Robinson Road and wanting to go north on the I-45 access road will be forced to yield to the oncoming traffic, where previously they had their own lane, Rudy said.

"It should help everybody. Some people will have to get used to the yield sign that's already there," Rudy said "Now they mean it."

City of Oak Ridge North, Bob Williams Memorial Council Chambers, 27424 Robinson Road, 281-292-4648, www.oakridgenorth.com