SAN ANTONIO – Construction is underway on the Northeast Side as part of the massive I-35 NEX Central Project.
This work will be one of four access points for the future elevated highway system stretching from Bexar to Guadalupe counties.
This week, I-35 near Loop 1604 is experiencing closures for construction, leading to headaches for those who live, work and travel through the area.
“A ten-minute ride turned into two hours, and you’re at a dead still,” said one man who asked to stay anonymous
The I-35 Northbound main lanes from Thousand Oaks Drive to O’Connor will be closed from 8 pm to 5 am tonight.
“Last night, I got off at 8:30, and they were closed going north, and traffic was going all the way downtown,” Rudy Caramona said.
Friday, 35 northbound lanes from Weidner to Judson will also be closed from 8 pm to 5 am.
“Tonight they’re closing main lanes at 8 pm… do you think that’s too early?” asked KSAT’s John Paul Barajas
“I think so, especially now that it’s summer and kids are out of school and the tourists are here in town,” said Jessica Escareno.
The Texas Department of Transportation is constructing approximately 9.5 miles of I-35 from Loop 410 at Nacogdoches Road to FM 3009 in the Schertz area.
The I-35 elevated lanes will provide direct connections to I-410 North and Loop 1604 West.
Those lanes will provide one high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) lane and two general-purpose lanes in each direction.
Construction is split into three separate phases: I-35 NEX Central (this project), I-35 NEX North and I-35 NEX South.
The project’s south phase is expected to start this summer.