Fujio Watanabe / Houston Public MediaDrivers making their way to Galveston will notice some traffic changes along Interstate 45 starting the night of Aug. 8. The biggest changes involve some short-term closures of the freeway’s main lanes and a reroute near La Marque and Texas City that will be in place for the next two years. Perez told Houston Public Media on Wednesday that the aforementioned detour is being created to cut down on commute times. Originally, all the main lanes along I-45 from FM 519 to Tiki Drive were going to be closed. Editor’s note: This story was updated July 30, 2026, based on scheduling changes announced by the Texas Department of Transportation.