The Brief
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Multiple southbound I-35 main lanes will be closed this weekend
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Closures are part of the massive I-35 rebuild project by TxDOT
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Construction will be done in the overnight hours, however severe weather could impact closure
AUSTIN, Texas – Multiple lanes of southbound I-35 will be closed this weekend as part of the massive rebuild project by the Texas Department of Transportation.
What we know
Starting Friday evening, the southbound main lanes of I-35 will be closed.
This construction shutdown, located between Hwy 71/Ben White and Stassney Lane, will be done during the overnight hours.
The work, scheduled for Friday and Saturday, starts at 11 p.m. The southbound lanes will reopen on Saturday morning by 9 a.m. and 10 a.m. Sunday morning.
A closer look at the TxDOT notification shows both southbound ramps off of Hwy 71 will also be closed. To go south, those traveling from the airport get a longer detour: a loop that involves taking the northbound frontage road and a U-turn at Oltorf.
The possibility of the severe weather moving in however could shut down the shutdown.
“It could. We would reschedule those lane closures. We’re always at the mercy of Mother Nature, and it doesn’t look like she wants to cooperate this weekend. So right now, the closures are on,” said Wheelis.
What they’re saying
A long line of pillars and beams continues to take shape and will become elevated managed lanes. That work requires a lot of heavy lifting, according to TxDOT spokesperson Brad Wheelis.
“We’re going to be hoisting up these deck panels. Those are going be eventually the riding surface of these elevated managed lanes. So, this is significant,” said Wheelis. “This is a big project. We’ve made a lot of progress. We have a way to go on this. We began construction November of 2022, and Rudy, we plan to wrap this up in 2028.”
Local perspective
The I-35 construction zones, in the Austin metro, are like navigating one big obstacle course. It’s a gauntlet of concert and steel that stretches from South Austin to Georgetown where Tim Stanley lives.
“It’s too much, you can’t get around. Anytime I go southbound, I try to go around. I think that’s the best way,” said Stanley.
New barriers and warning signs are going up. All the orange, red and yellow, in a way, signals an early Halloween nightmare.
“Not if you’re the guys working, it’s just a paycheck, but if you are driving or trying to get home, yes sir, it will be a nightmare,” said Stanley.
Capitol Express South, with its $548 million price tag, will not be a toll road. While it promises a fast track over South Austin gridlock, that’s something commuters like Stanley will have to see to believe.
“I doubt it, but it’ll be better than what it is,” said Stanley.
What’s next
More main lane closures could come later this year.
“There could be more main lane closures as we continue to put those deck panels on. I don’t have any scheduled, right now. So, there’s nothing in the immediate future for folks, but that can change,” said Wheelis.
There is another long-term closure coming along I-35 in Downtown Austin.
On Monday, TxDOT is shutting down East Avenue and it will remain closed through early 2026. That’s an area near the north shore of Lady Bird Lake and the I-35 bridge.
The closure is being done as part of a project to modify the I-35 bridge.
The Source
Information in this report comes from reporting/interviews by FOX 7 Austin’s Rudy Koski.
