Traffic impacts of The Woodlands Triathlon this weekend

THE WOODLANDS, TX – It seems the past several weekends have been interesting for Woodlands area driving – March kicked off with The Woodlands Marathon, April was filled with IRONKIDS and IRONMAN races, and May started off with many of the roads pretty much under water. There’s one more Saturday that will belong more to athletes than drivers, as The Woodlands Triathlon hits the area this weekend on May 11.

This triathlon is produced by The Woodlands Township Parks and Recreation Department and is billed as one of the premier multi-sport events in the region, with a beginner-friendly atmosphere, first-rate race management, and scenic courses.

Fortunately for commuters and athletes who aren’t quite at Ironman level alike, this triathlon is not as intense or as long as what we encountered a couple of Saturdays ago with more than 3,000 athletes pounding the payment. Unlike Ironman’s 2.4-mile swim, a 112-mile bicycle ride, and full 26.2-mile marathon, The Woodlands Triathlon features a 500-meter open swim, a 12.8-mile bike ride, and a 5K run.

Accompanying the not-quite-as-intense race legs are some road detours and closures that should have a much less impact than what we handled in April. Here are the primary road issues that are planned:

• Lake Woodlands Drive eastbound from Cochran’s Crossing to Windward Cove – inside lane will be closed to automobile traffic from 6 to 10:30 a.m.
• Lake Woodlands Bridge – westbound lanes from Lake Front Circle to Lakeside Boulevard will be closed to automobile traffic from 6 to 10:30 a.m.
• Lake Woodlands Bridge – eastbound lanes from Windward Cove to Lake Front Circle will be closed to automobile traffic from 6 to 10:30 a.m.
• The outside lanes of the following streets will be impacted by the racecourse between 6 to 10:30 a.m. to accommodate racers:

Lake Woodlands Drive – westbound from Lakeside Boulevard to Gosling Road

Gosling Road – northbound from Lake Woodlands to Research Forest Drive

Research Forest Drive – eastbound from Gosling Road to Grogan’s Mill

Grogan's Mill Road – southbound from Research Forest to Woodlands Parkway

Woodlands Parkway – westbound to Cochran’s Crossing

Cochran's Crossing Drive – northbound to Lake Woodlands

Stay tuned to Woodlands Online for race updates.