The long-anticipated $11.2 billion rebuild of Houston’s downtown freeway system and Interstate 45 is set to begin early next year. However, the project is already facing cost overruns, with the initial phase expected to be $80 million over budget.

This massive undertaking will see Interstate 69 rebuilt from Texas 288 to I-45, cutting through Third Ward and Midtown, and is scheduled to last eight years. Bids for the work were opened last week, with Houston-based Williams Brothers Construction submitting the lowest offer at $695.5 million, which is 13% higher than the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) had estimated. Webber, the only other bidder, proposed a far higher bid at $1.254 billion, nearly double the original estimate of $615.7 million.

Despite these bids, construction cannot proceed until the Texas Transportation Commission approves the contracts after a thorough review. Meanwhile, TxDOT is preparing for public meetings to present changes to the project and begin initial drainage work, signaling the start of the freeway overhaul.

In May, officials estimated the cost of this portion of the project at $456 million, but surging material and labor costs have pushed prices higher, reflecting a trend in large-scale construction projects in major metro areas.

Public input remains crucial, with a meeting scheduled for September 19 to discuss modifications, including changes to I-69 frontage roads and plans to cap sections of the freeway, creating an extended cover from San Jacinto to Austin Streets. Comments on these updates will be accepted through October 4.

Residents and commuters will experience disruptions for decades, as TxDOT has broken the project into more than 15 segments to manage construction from downtown north to Beltway 8. Downtown work is expected to continue until 2037 while widening the freeway to Beltway 8 with new managed lanes could extend into the 2040's.

The rebuild has faced its share of controversy and delays, partly due to concerns from community groups and legal challenges from local officials. Federal authorities paused the project for two years following complaints from residents about the impact on neighborhoods, including civil rights issues. In response, TxDOT made concessions, such as adding parks, affordable housing funding, and air quality measures, to address these concerns. The project finally received approval in late 2022 after city and county officials reached an agreement with the state.

For residents like Thomas Cognata, a Midtown homeowner likely to lose his 1938-built house due to freeway expansion, the project is bittersweet. While Cognata acknowledges the benefits of lowering the freeway and reducing its visual impact, the personal cost is significant. “I think it is all great, but there are some changes that, if they are made, put me out,” he said.

As TxDOT finalizes plans and awards contracts, Houston residents can expect major construction and traffic disruptions for the foreseeable future, with the full transformation of I-45 and surrounding highways still many years away.