ICYMI: City Announces Road Closures Ahead Of Pres. Bush Funeral

HOUSTON, TX -- Road closures in preparation for the funeral of President George H.W. Bush on Thursday morning have already begun in Houston with some roads closures beginning at 11 a.m. Wednesday.

Assistant Houston Police Chief Matt Slinkard announced the planned road closures and detours during a press conference Tuesday afternoon at HPD headquarters.

President George H.W. Bush died on Nov. 30 t his Houston home at the age of 94,has been laying in repose at the capitol building in Washington, D.C. since Monday.

Bush will return to Houston Wednesday and lay in repose from 6 p.m. until 6 a.m. Thursday at St. Martin’s Episcopal Church.

"We are very proud of all the efforts this week by all Houstonians to honor President Bush...," Slinkard said. "The motorcade to Ellington Field [Monday]...was really the start of a blessed opportunity...to honor a true American hero dedicated to the service of others."

The Houston Police Department, along with the Texas Department of Public Safety, U.S. Secret Service, the Department of Homeland Security, and the office of Emergency Management began working with other county entities on security and logistics the day after Bush's death.

Rick Flanagan, emergency management coordinator for the City of Houston, said they will go to an alert status Wednesday afternoon and remain in an alert status until the president is aboard the train.

"We plan to make this a very successful and memorable event in support of the president," Flanagan said.

Slinkard said anyone who plans to attend the public repose will be required to check in at the Second Baptist Church-Woodway campus for security screening, and be shuttled to St. Martin’s Episcopal Church afterward.

Walk up traffic will not be allowed into the church, and recording devices, cell phones and weapons will not be allowed inside.

The METRO shuttle service begins at 4:45 p.m. Wednesday, and the last shuttle departure scheduled or 5:35 a.m. Thursday.

"We ask everybody to be patient. We expect a lot of people to be coming out there...," said METRO's Andrew Skabowski.

Shuttle drivers will also be honoring Bush as they don cool and crazy socks as they shuttle mourners to and from the church, Skabowski said.

The closures and the subsequent shuttling could cause delays in west Houston for METRO riders

Meanwhile, road closures will begin at 11 a.m. Wednesday. Those road closures include:

• Riverway Drive between Sage Lane and S. Post Oak Road.
• Sage Lane between Tangle Lane and Woodway Drive

Road closures scheduled to begin at 1 p.m. include:

• Woodway Drive between Chimney Rock and N. Post Oak Road

All roads will reopen by 1 p.m. Thursday, Slinkard said.

The funeral on Thursday begins at 10 a.m. and will be a private service that is invitation only.

Afterward, a presidential motorcade will take President Bush to the Bush 4141 train in Spring, and he will be transported to the Bush Presidential Library in College Station.

Slinkard said planning and taking part in this final event for Bush was a honor and a privilege.

"This is a very special opportunity for us to do our very best...," he said.

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