Major I-35 Exit Closures and Post-Storm Construction Updates This Weekend

Significant Traffic Shifts on I-35 and Central Austin Arteries

As we head into the final day of January 2026, Austin motorists should prepare for permanent changes to the downtown landscape. The most significant update involves the I-35 Capital Express Central project. Starting Sunday, February 1, the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) will permanently close the northbound I-35 Riverside Drive exit (233) and the Holly Street entrance and exit ramps (234A). While these closures technically begin tomorrow, crews are already on-site this Saturday, January 31, preparing for the demolition and reconstruction of the Lady Bird Lake bridge.

Drivers who typically rely on the Riverside exit for downtown or eastside access should begin utilizing new detour routes today. TxDOT recommends the following alternatives for northbound travelers:

• Use the Woodland Avenue exit (232B) to access the frontage road early.
• Continue to the Cesar Chavez Street exit (234B) for direct downtown access.
• Frontage road traffic can re-enter the mainlanes via the Oltorf Street or Cesar Chavez Street entrance ramps.

Construction Extensions Following Recent Winter Weather

Recovery from the ice storm that hit Central Texas last week continues to impact the construction schedule. TxDOT has announced that the nightly south-to-north U-turn closures beneath the Lady Bird Lake bridge have been extended through mid-February. These closures, originally slated to wrap up earlier this month, are necessary for bridge work that was delayed by the freezing conditions. Nightly closures generally run from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m., but lane shifts may be visible throughout the day today as crews reposition equipment.

Elsewhere, the reconstruction of the Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard bridge remains a high-activity zone. Expect nightly lane reductions on I-35 between 15th Street and Manor Road. While through-traffic remains open, the northbound lower deck may see periodic closures, forcing traffic to the upper decks.

Public Transport and New Corridor Openings

Commuters utilizing CapMetro should be aware of several minor schedule adjustments that went into effect earlier this month to account for these evolving construction zones. Key routes affected by timing changes include Routes 1, 3, 4, 325, 465, 661, 672, 801, and 803. Notably, Route 935 (Tech Ridge Express) has transitioned its non-stop service from I-35 to MoPac to avoid the bottleneck created by the Capital Express project.

On a more positive note for North Austin drivers, the new toll lanes on US 183 North between MoPac and SH 45 are now largely operational. Cleanup crews are active in the area this weekend, but the direct connectors are significantly easing the Saturday afternoon congestion typical for that corridor.