Houston Midtown Hamilton-Tuam closure scheduled through Aug. 17

A closure at Hamilton Street and Tuam Street in Houston’s Midtown area is active and scheduled to remain in place through 3 p.m. Monday, Aug. 17, while crews work on infrastructure connected to the I-45 expansion project.

Houston TranStar listed the restrictions as active Tuesday, July 28. The closure began at 9 a.m. Monday, July 27, and construction schedules can change before the scheduled reopening time.

What is closed

Tuam Street is totally closed in both directions between Hamilton Street and Chartres Street. Southbound Hamilton Street is also totally closed at Tuam Street.

Drivers using either street should avoid the intersection rather than expecting to pass through the work area. The restrictions are local street closures and do not mean that every Midtown street or all I-45 traffic is closed.

Detours around Hamilton and Tuam

Southbound Hamilton Street traffic is directed to turn right onto McGowen Street, then left onto Chenevert Street. Drivers continue to Elgin Street, turn left, and then turn right to return to Hamilton Street.

Westbound Tuam Street traffic is directed to turn right onto Chartres Street, turn left onto McGowen Street, then left onto Chenevert Street before turning right back onto Tuam Street.

Eastbound Tuam traffic is directed to turn right onto Chenevert Street, then left onto Elgin Street and left onto Chartres Street. Drivers then turn right to return to Tuam Street.

Those detours will add turns and redirect traffic onto McGowen, Chenevert, Elgin and Chartres streets. Residents, workers, delivery drivers and customers heading to businesses near the intersection should allow extra time to approach the area and follow posted construction signs.

How the closure fits into the I-45 project

ABC13 reported that crews are working on storm sewer infrastructure beneath Hamilton Street as part of the I-45 expansion project. TxDOT’s North Houston Highway Improvement Project materials describe broader drainage work and planned reconstruction involving cross streets including Elgin, Tuam and McGowen.

The larger project covers major roadway improvements in and around downtown Houston, including reconstruction of mainlanes and frontage roads, changes to the downtown freeway system and additional drainage and mobility infrastructure. The broader TxDOT documents provide project context but do not establish the exact July 27-Aug. 17 closure schedule; Houston TranStar’s active road-closure listing is the current source for those dates.

What to watch next

Aug. 17 is the scheduled reopening date, not a guarantee that the streets will reopen on time. Drivers should check Houston TranStar before traveling because construction conditions, closure status and nearby restrictions can change.

Sources

• Houston TranStar road-closure listing
• ABC13 Houston: Hamilton-Tuam closure
• TxDOT North Houston Highway Improvement Project