Drivers beware! Memorial Hermann IRONMAN triathlon will impact traffic this Saturday

THE WOODLANDS, TX -– It’s that time again; this Saturday, The Woodlands is playing host to the Memorial Hermann IRONMAN triathlon, a (sort of) annual race of endurance, stamina, and determination, where the most dedicated of thousands of athletes are pushed to their limits.

Also pushed to their limits are the drivers who get caught in the traffic snarls that go hand in hand with the competition. Though Woodlands drivers tend to be the among the friendliest in the nation – as long as certain rules are kept, such as ‘slower traffic keep right’ and waving if someone lets you in front of them – the detours, shutdowns, delays, and congestion throughout the entire area are enough to make even the most serene drivers lean on their horns.

The IRONMAN begins with a mass swim event in Lake Woodlands and the Waterway between Northshore Park and Town Green Park, so there’s nothing on the road to worry about for a while (except for the closures; more about those in a moment). Next in the event is a 112-mile bicycle ride along the entire length of the Hardy Toll Road, which will be shut down to all automotive traffic, leaving I-45 into Houston in a pickle. The race is capped off by a marathon that will bogart the entire east side of The Woodlands, in a rough triangle consisting of Woodlands Parkway, Panther Creek, Lake Woodlands Drive, and Interstate 45.

The race preparations start pre-dawn on Saturday and will last all day – whilst most participants will finish within 12 hours, they have 18 hours (or until midnight) to complete the event, and even the slowest of stragglers deserves safety. Fortunately, Woodlands Online has a handy list of places to avoid and alternate routes.

Roads Closed

These roads are closed for the duration of the event:

• Waterway Ave from Lake Robbins to Timberloch
• Riva Row from Grogan’s Mill to Six Pines
• Lake Robbins from Grogan’s Mill to Six Pines

Roads Impacted by the Bike Race

Fortunately, each leg of the event (swim, bike, run) has its own time limit, so it’s easy to partition the affected roads of each sub-competition into time frames. While you can get a comprehensive list of roads and times separated by times by looking at our map below, here’s a brief rundown of roads affected by the bike race:

• Grogan’s Mill at Lake Robbins, Timberloch, and Woodlands Parkway – starting 6am
• Woodlands Parkway at S Panther Creek and Gosline – starting 6:10am
• Sawdust at Budde – starting 6:30am
• Pruitt at Budde and I-45 – starting 6:30am
• I-45 at Spring Woods Village Parkway – starting 6:35am
• Northgate Crossing at Hardy Toll Road – starting 6:40am

Starting at approximately 10am through the evening, these roads will be affected by the return leg of the bike ride:

• I-45 at Northgate Crossing
• Sawdust at S Park
• Grogan’s Mill at Sawmill, Woodlands Parkway, and Timberloch

Roads Impacted by the Marathon

The footrace is the final part of the competition and kicks in at around 10 in the morning and can last up until midnight. Traffic at these locations will be affected by the runners:

• Lake Robbins Drive
• E Panther Creek at Lake Woodlands and Woodlands Parkway
• Woodlands Parkway at Lake Front Circle
• Timberloch at Woodloch Forest

As long as you’re aware of the detours and shutdowns, and are respectful of your fellow drivers and the athletic participants in the race, you should make it through in one piece. To be safe, try to avoid the large rectangle of Lake Woodlands Drive, I-45, Woodlands Parkway, and Panther Creek and everything inside it; keeping south of Woodlands Parkway, west of Gosling, north of Lake Woodlands Drive, and east of I-45 should provide smooth sailing. True, you can always stay home and binge watch something, but why not consider lacing up your walking shoes and coming out to one of the numerous spectator areas to show your support?

Stay tuned to Woodlands Online for updates to the 2022 Memorial Hermann IRONMAN competition.