According to the TxDOT website, the left lane of the southbound frontage road of I-35 from Retama Parkway to Old Austin Road will be closed for temporary pavement, striping, barrier, column and cap work. The closure is expected to last through Dec. 30.
This closure is alongside the closure from Arcadia Lane to the bridge at Olympia Parkway, which began in August and is expected to be completed early next year.
The background
The $1.5 billion I-35 NEX project is part of Texas Clear Lanes and is aimed to increase mobility, reduce congestion and enhance safety for drivers, according to the TxDOT website.
The project will include 9.5 miles of elevated lanes with three lanes going each direction, northbound and southbound. Elevated lanes will include entrances and exits at major intersections, and turnaround lanes for emergency vehicles will be constructed on the elevated lanes.
Work on the NEX Central project began in 2022 with the expectation that work on this section will be completed in 2027.
The central project is one of three projects that make up the entirety of the I-35 NEX project. The first phase of the south project is expected to start construction in late 2023 or early 2024, while the north project is expected to have bids open in 2026.
