Major METRORail Maintenance and I-10 Connector Closures Impacting Sunday Travel

Significant Service Disruptions on METRORail

Commuters relying on public transit this Sunday, February 15, 2026, should prepare for major service adjustments. As part of the ongoing METRONow maintenance initiative, rail service has been suspended on significant portions of the Red, Green, and Purple lines. METRO has deployed shuttle buses to maintain connectivity, though riders are advised to account for an additional 20 to 30 minutes of travel time.

• Red Line: Service is replaced by shuttle buses between the Northline Transit Center/HCC Station and the TMC Transit Center.
• Green and Purple Lines: Shuttles are operating in place of trains from the Theater District Station to the EaDo/Stadium Station.

These shuttle buses are scheduled to run approximately every 10 minutes throughout the day. Transit officials recommend that those attending the Lunar New Year Festival at Discovery Green plan their routes in advance, as high ridership is expected on these alternative shuttle routes.

I-10 White Oak Bayou Elevation Project

Major construction continues to restrict flow on the Katy Freeway. The I-10 White Oak Bayou elevation project has reduced I-10 Westbound to just two main lanes between I-45 North and Houston Avenue. This bottleneck is a long-term fixture of the Houston commute and remains a primary source of congestion even on weekends. Furthermore, the direct connector from I-45 Southbound to I-10 Westbound remains fully closed for reconstruction.

Weekend Lane and Connector Closures

Beyond the long-term projects, several specific closures are in effect today that will impact local travel:

• I-10 East Freeway: The eastbound connector ramp to the I-610 East Loop Southbound is under a total closure until 5:00 AM Monday. Drivers are detoured to exit at Mercury Drive and perform a U-turn to access the Southbound Loop.
• I-610 South Loop: The westbound connector ramp to SH-288 is closed today from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Commuters should use the I-610 westbound main lanes to SH-288 Northbound, exiting at Yellowstone Boulevard to loop back to SH-288 Southbound.
• HOV/HOT Lanes: The I-45 South HOV and HOT lanes are closed until early Monday morning due to scheduled maintenance and construction work.
• Overnight Alerts: Starting at 9:00 PM tonight, expect additional lane reductions on I-10 Westbound near Waco Street and on Wirt Road near the Chimney Rock intersection.

Local authorities urge all drivers to remain vigilant for minor accidents and stalls, which have already been reported this morning on the Hardy Toll Road and East Crosstimbers Street. If you are traveling through the downtown loop, consider using US-59 or the Hardy Toll Road as alternatives to avoid the I-10 and I-45 interchange bottlenecks.