Major Lane Shifts on I-35 Downtown and MoPac Frontage Reductions Impact Wednesday Commute

Central Austin and I-35 Construction Updates

Commuters navigating through the heart of the city should prepare for significant changes this Wednesday, February 18, 2026. The I-35 Capital Express Central Project has entered a critical new phase that began just yesterday, focusing on downtown and Central Austin. This phase involves heavy activity between U.S. 290 East and Ben White Boulevard as crews work to lower the main lanes of the interstate.

• Lady Bird Lake Area: Nightly closures continue for the south-to-north U-turn beneath the Lady Bird Lake bridge. While pedestrian access remains open, drivers should expect rotating lane closures on the frontage roads as materials are staged for the bridge reconstruction.
• Riverside Drive: Work is ongoing on the northbound Riverside Drive bypass lane at I-35. While the opening is anticipated this month, commuters will still encounter narrowed lanes and shifting traffic patterns near the intersection.
• Downtown Surface Streets: Outside lane closures are in effect on Cesar Chavez Street near Congress Avenue. Additionally, long-term construction related to the Austin Convention Center redevelopment is causing consistent partial closures on Trinity, Red River, East 3rd, and East 2nd streets.

MoPac and US 183 Mobility Progress

The 183 North Mobility Project is nearing its final milestones, but several active work zones remain a factor for North Austin drivers. Following the successful opening of the northbound express lanes and the MoPac connector earlier this year, the focus has shifted to the southbound segments and frontage road improvements.

• MoPac Frontage Road: A major lane reduction is currently in effect on the southbound MoPac frontage road between US 183 and Steck Avenue. This section is reduced to a single travel lane for approximately six weeks to allow for final paving and utility work.
• Overnight Mainlane Closures: Commuters heading home late should be aware of nightly lane closures on the southbound MoPac mainlanes approaching the US 183 interchange. Two right lanes are typically closed from 9:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m.
• US 183 Frontage: Expect overnight closures on the two right lanes of the southbound US 183 frontage road between Oak Knoll Drive and Duval Road through next week.

CapMetro Service and Public Transit Alerts

Capital Metro is maintaining several detours due to ongoing infrastructure projects across the city. Transit riders are encouraged to check the CapMetro App for real-time tracking, especially as several route adjustments are in place for South and East Austin.

• Slaughter Lane: A construction-related detour remains in place for routes near Slaughter Lane and the I-35 southbound frontage road.
• Rosewood/Hargrave: Construction in East Austin continues to impact stops near the Rosewood and Hargrave intersection.
• Payment Updates: Riders are reminded that the new "Tap to Pay" system is fully operational across all bus and rail services, allowing for faster boarding during the busy midweek peak hours.

Commuters are advised to allow an extra 15 to 20 minutes for travel through the downtown corridor and the North MoPac interchange today. As the I-35 project intensifies, using alternate routes like Loop 1 (MoPac) or Highway 183 may provide some relief, though both are experiencing their own construction-related bottlenecks.