Motorists traveling across Central Texas are being advised to anticipate significant travel delays as state transportation crews initiate a series of overnight road and lane closures along Interstate 35. The Texas Department of Transportation has scheduled the construction projects to begin on Sunday, September 13, impacting major thoroughfares and vital feeder routes through the end of the workweek on Thursday, September 17.
Transportation planners have intentionally targeted overnight hours to execute the intensive infrastructure maintenance in an effort to avoid the region's heaviest daytime commuter rush. However, the scope of the operations means that late-night drivers, commercial freight operators, and early-morning travelers will need to adjust their routines and expect reduced speeds through multiple high-traffic corridors.
A major focus of the construction initiative centers on the southern stretch of Interstate 35. Northbound and southbound lanes spanning the distance between Oltorf Street and State Highway 45 Southeast are designated for nightly shutdowns. These closures are scheduled to take effect each evening at 8 p.m. and will remain in place until 5 a.m. the following morning, running from Sunday through Thursday.
According to updates published by TxDOT on the social media platform X, the active construction across this southern segment is required for extensive paving operations and the installation of safety barriers. Road maintenance along heavily traveled interstates requires specialized equipment and safety clearances, making lane restrictions unavoidable while crews work directly adjacent to live traffic.
The resulting footprint of this work will severely restrict capacity along Interstate 35. Travel lanes will be narrowed down to a single operable lane in several designated sections between Oltorf Street and SH 45 SE, creating potential bottlenecks. Drivers navigating this segment must be prepared for sudden merging patterns and slower movement throughout the construction perimeter.
In addition to mainline lane reductions, TxDOT confirmed that multiple entrance and exit ramps along the Oltorf to SH 45 SE corridor will be temporarily shuttered during the overnight work periods. These ramp closures will prevent standard highway access at various intersections, requiring motorists to follow detour signs or travel extended distances on local access roads before reaching open on-ramps.
Simultaneously, a second major work zone will impact central Austin on Interstate 35 farther to the north. TxDOT has scheduled dual-direction lane closures between Airport Boulevard and 12th Street. Just like the southern construction zone, this central segment will be subject to nightly closures beginning at 8 p.m. and concluding at 5 a.m., running from Sunday night through Thursday morning.
This central corridor serves as a crucial transit artery for local residents and regional commuters, meaning the overnight restrictions could cause notable traffic queues. Motorists navigating through the urban core should prepare for intermittent stoppages and narrowed lanes as crews carry out necessary roadway enhancements.
The disruptions in the central section will also spill over onto surrounding connective infrastructure. TxDOT officials noted that the Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard bridge will experience varying nightly lane closures during the same timeframe. In tandem with the bridge restrictions, both northbound and adjacent frontage road lanes will be subjected to changing lane closures throughout the week.
Travelers who regularly use the Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard overpass or rely on frontage roads to bypass interstate congestion will need to exercise extra caution. Because frontage road lanes will face changing restrictions from night to night, local traffic patterns may shift unpredictably while work progresses.
Beyond the work planned on the interstate itself, TxDOT has scheduled a separate surface street closure on Cesar Chavez Street. Crews will be closing segments of Cesar Chavez Street between Springdale Road and Brushy Street during overnight hours from Monday through Thursday.
The operational schedule for the Cesar Chavez Street project differs slightly from the interstate work, taking effect an hour earlier and lasting longer into the morning. Closures on this stretch will begin at 7 p.m. each evening and continue until 6 a.m. the following day, potentially impacting both late-evening travelers and early-morning work traffic.
State transportation officials confirmed that the temporary shutdown on Cesar Chavez Street is necessary to facilitate critical utility work beneath and along the roadway. Completing underground utility improvements often requires direct access to the street bed, necessitating full or partial street closures to ensure safety for both construction personnel and passing drivers.
With multiple simultaneous work zones scheduled across Central Texas, drivers are strongly encouraged to check travel conditions ahead of time and plan alternative travel routes. State officials consistently remind the traveling public to remain alert, reduce driving speeds in all designated work zones, and leave ample following distance to safely navigate overnight delays.
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