Crumbled concrete will cost drivers access from southbound Interstate 45 to Houston's central business for the rest of the day, highway officials said.

Crews have closed the ramp from the southbound freeway to Dallas-Pierce and the entrance from Memorial Drive and Houston Avenue, according to the Texas Department of Transportation. The connections, which share the southbound frontage road along the western edge of downtown, will not reopen until late Wednesday night, provided emergency repairs are completed.

BUS BUDGET BOOMING: Metro on course for record $1.76B in spending thanks to rising costs, slew of new projects

"Our team believes the repairs can be done today and with curing time, have it opened in the late night hours," TxDOT spokesman Danny Perez said, noting the aim to not affect Thursday morning commutes. 

EMERGENCY ROAD WORK: Crews will close the I-45 southbound exit to Dallas/ Piece and the I-45 entrance ramp from Memorial/ Houston Avenue in @DowntownHouston for an extended period to make repairs on the 45 frontage road. Crews expect the ramps to be closed until later tonight. pic.twitter.com/Y01MluZ1u9

The ramp is a key connector for southbound traffic headed to and from the central business district. handling about 42,000 vehicles daily, based on 2021 traffic counts. As a result, especially with truck traffic into and out of the area, the roadway takes a beating.

"Our crews were scouting, filling potholes when they noticed a small section that had broken-up pavement and exposed rebar," Perez said.

It is the latest emergency closure to complicate commutes in the past 10 days. Last week, crews closed the exit from Loop 610 to South Main after concrete panels along the eastbound exit separated. 

- 103 bicyclists have died on Harris County roads since 2017. Here's where they happened.

- Metro on course for record $1.76B in spending thanks to rising costs, slew of new projects

- New app helps you beat Houston-area traffic with real-time options

- $27B backlog in rural road projects could pose risk to drivers, Texas economy, report finds

- Buttigieg touts federal funding during tour of Houston transportation projects

Dug Begley is the transportation writer for the Houston Chronicle.

Larhonda Biggles is still seeking justice for her son years after his death at the Harris County jail, which led to the firing of nearly a dozen guards.