Southbound I-35 at Riverside Drive in Austin closes amid police activity, compounding corridor disruptions

Closure began mid-morning Friday as drivers reported heavy backups through central Austin

Southbound Interstate 35 at Riverside Drive was shut down Friday morning, Feb. 13, 2026, after transportation officials reported “police activity” in the area. The closure began shortly after 9 a.m. and prompted immediate congestion on a stretch of roadway that has already been undergoing significant traffic pattern changes tied to a long-running reconstruction effort through central Austin.

Traffic camera footage from the Riverside Drive area showed multiple police vehicles and at least one emergency medical unit positioned near the ramp area as southbound lanes were blocked. Authorities did not publicly identify what prompted the police response or provide an estimated timeline for reopening.

With the main lanes closed at Riverside Drive, drivers were urged to seek alternate routes. Traffic monitoring during the shutdown indicated stop-and-go conditions and long backups extending well beyond the Riverside interchange, creating ripple effects for commuters moving through downtown and into the I-35 corridor from East Austin and South Austin connections.

Impact hits during a major transition phase for the I-35 corridor

The southbound shutdown occurred during a period of ongoing and upcoming lane and access changes connected to the I-35 Capital Express Central project, a multiyear reconstruction and expansion of an approximately eight-mile segment between U.S. 290 East and State Highway 71.

In early February, transportation officials permanently closed the northbound Riverside Drive exit and the Holly Street entrance and exit as preparatory work continued for rebuilding the Lady Bird Lake bridge area. Separate long-term work is scheduled to begin Monday, Feb. 16, affecting the northbound I-35 frontage road just north of Riverside Drive as contractors start construction of a standalone east-side pedestrian bridge. That closure is expected to remain in place through at least 2029.

• Drivers approaching the Riverside area should expect periodic access changes, including use of a bypass lane and new U-turn options intended to keep frontage-road movements possible during construction.
• Pedestrian routes across the river are also set to change as certain paths and sidewalks near Riverside are closed for work activity.

What remains unknown

Officials described Friday’s event only as “police activity,” and no details were released on whether the shutdown was related to a collision, an investigation, or another public safety issue. The lack of a public timeline for reopening left commuters to navigate real-time detours and congestion.

Drivers traveling through central Austin on Friday morning faced overlapping pressures: an unexpected emergency closure on the southbound main lanes and planned, long-duration construction changes near the same interchange.

Transportation and public safety agencies typically provide updates as conditions change, including when lanes reopen or when detours are adjusted. For commuters, the immediate practical effect Friday was clear: reduced capacity on one of Austin’s busiest highways at a key river crossing, with delays spreading quickly across the corridor.