Motorists traveling through Central Texas are being advised to prepare for significant travel delays as state transportation crews launch a series of major overnight road and lane closures along Interstate 35. The planned maintenance operations are set to restrict capacity across several crucial sections of the heavily traveled corridor, impacting both long-distance freight traffic and local regional commuters.
According to the Texas Department of Transportation, the scheduled nighttime disruptions will officially get underway on the evening of Sunday, September 13. The agency announced that these construction activities will continue overnight through Thursday, September 17, requiring drivers to exercise heightened caution and seek alternate travel routes whenever possible.
A primary component of the maintenance project involves an extensive stretch of the interstate in the southern portion of the metropolitan area. State transportation officials confirmed that work crews will close sections of both the northbound and southbound main lanes of Interstate 35 between Oltorf Street and State Highway 45 Southeast.
The closures along the Oltorf Street to SH 45 SE corridor are scheduled to occur each night from 8:00 p.m. until 5:00 a.m. the following morning. TxDOT noted on social media platform X that these temporary lane shutdowns are necessary to provide work crews with safe access to carry out vital paving operations and install highway barrier infrastructure.
Because of the physical space required for paving equipment and barrier placement, vehicle capacity along this southern section will be severely constrained. Transportation officials warned that Interstate 35 will be reduced down to just a single open travel lane in several locations throughout the work zone, creating potential traffic backups during the late-night and early-morning hours.
In addition to the reduction of main highway lanes, the construction project will temporarily disrupt access to the freeway itself. TxDOT verified that multiple entrance and exit ramps throughout the segment between Oltorf Street and SH 45 SE will be shut down, preventing vehicles from entering or exiting the highway at standard interchange points.
Farther north along the central Austin corridor, a second major series of nightly closures is scheduled to take place simultaneously. Highway crews will be executing lane closures on both northbound and southbound Interstate 35 between Airport Boulevard and 12th Street.
The northern work zone between Airport Boulevard and 12th Street will adhere to the exact same operational schedule as the southern segment. Construction operations are slated to begin nightly at 8:00 p.m. and wrap up by 5:00 a.m. the next day, running consecutively from Sunday night through Thursday night.
The traffic footprint of the central corridor project will also extend onto secondary structures and parallel roadways in the immediate vicinity. Officials announced that the Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard bridge, as well as both northbound and frontage road segments, will be subject to varying nightly lane restrictions throughout the week.
In addition to the extensive work taking place directly on the interstate, TxDOT has planned a separate street-level closure on a vital urban thoroughfare nearby. Crews are preparing to shut down a portion of Cesar Chavez Street between Springdale Road and Brushy Street.
The Cesar Chavez Street closure will operate on a slightly different timeframe than the interstate work. According to the agency, the roadway will be closed to vehicle traffic from 7:00 p.m. in the evening until 6:00 a.m. the following morning, beginning on Monday night and continuing through Thursday night to accommodate critical utility work.
Transportation officials have utilized digital outreach, including posts on X, to ensure the traveling public is well-informed of the approaching construction zones. Such notifications are aimed at giving regional drivers, delivery services, and emergency personnel adequate time to plan their movements and adjust their schedules accordingly.
With significant lane reductions, ramp closures, and local street detours all occurring simultaneously, authorities emphasize the importance of driver awareness. Motorists encountering active work zones should anticipate sudden speed reductions, observe all posted directional signage, and watch for roadside workers and heavy machinery operating near moving lanes.
The coordinated slate of nighttime closures underscores ongoing efforts by transportation authorities to maintain and upgrade critical regional transportation links across Central Texas. Drivers traversing the Austin area are strongly urged to allow for extra transit time through Friday morning as construction operations conclude.
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