METRO reopens Westpark HOV ramps on Southwest Freeway Sunday

The Westpark connection on the Southwest Freeway came back online just in time for Houston’s World Cup traffic test, restoring a shortcut that can shave minutes off a crowded stretch of I-69 for drivers in southwest Houston.

METRO reopened the I-69 Southwest Freeway HOV/HOT lane entrance and exit ramps at Westpark at 5 a.m. June 1. The ramps now operate daily from 5 a.m. to 11 a.m. and again from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m., with access from the West Loop 610 northbound frontage road at Westpark Drive.

For commuters who have spent years detouring around the closed connection, the change immediately gives back another way into and out of the Southwest Freeway corridor. In a part of Harris County where the West Loop, I-69 and the frontage roads routinely choke at peak hours, the restored ramps mean one more option before traffic spills deeper onto local streets and connector lanes.

METRO Chair Elizabeth Gonzalez Brock said the reopening brings back a route that matters to riders and drivers moving through southwest Houston. “Bringing these ramps back into service restores an important connection for customers traveling through southwest Houston,” Brock said. METRO also said the change should improve travel reliability and cut delays along the Southwest Freeway.

The reopening arrives as Houston prepares for a rush of visitors tied to the 2026 FIFA World Cup. FIFA says Houston will host seven matches at Houston Stadium, including games on June 14, June 17, June 20, June 23, June 27, June 29 and July 4. METRO is also promoting transit options for NRG Stadium, the FIFA Fan Festival in EaDo, downtown and the airports, underscoring how much will ride on the region’s ability to move large crowds without gridlock.

The ramp project is also a test of the broader interchange work that closed the connection for several years. TxDOT describes the I-610 West Loop and I-69 Southwest Freeway interchange project as a $259 million effort, including $87.5 million from Texas Clear Lanes, designed to improve safety, mobility and congestion. The work includes widening connector ramps, increasing sight lines and vertical clearances, and reducing weaving at one of Houston’s busiest highway junctions.

For everyday drivers, the reopening does not solve the corridor’s deeper problems. The Southwest Freeway still carries heavy volumes, and the surrounding frontage roads remain vulnerable when demand spikes. But with the Westpark ramps back in service, METRO has restored a small but important piece of the network, and Houston’s summer traffic season will quickly show whether the region is ready for the larger test ahead.