The northbound lanes of a main section of the West Sam Houston Tollway/Beltway 8, which were flooded by Tropical Storm Harvey, were reopened Sept. 7 after pumping out standing water, but the southbound lanes likely won’t open until the middle of this week, according to the Harris County Toll Road Authority in Houston.
The authority reported Sept. 7 that the tollway section from Westheimer to Interstate 10 was a lake, with 14 feet of water, when pumps arrived. By then, the water had finally receded enough for the authority and the Texas Department of Transportation to start pumping out the main lanes. They were able to reopen the northbound lanes around 5:30 p.m.
On Sept. 8, crews were working to repair pavement in the southbound lanes damaged by water that overflowed the Buffalo Bayou, and expected it reopen in the middle of the following week.
Meanwhile, the authority is allowing free access for open EZ TAG express lanes on the tollway.