Crash on Interstate 10 near Loop 1604 in San Antonio triggered hour-long morning delays

What happened and where traffic was affected

A major crash disrupted the Tuesday morning commute in San Antonio, blocking traffic on the eastbound lanes of Interstate 10 near the Loop 1604 interchange on the far Northwest Side. The collision was reported at about 8:11 a.m. on January 20, 2026, and quickly produced stop-and-go conditions during a peak travel window.

Officials reported that two left lanes were blocked, leaving only the right lane moving through the area. While the blocked lanes were reopened around 8:50 a.m., congestion continued after the scene began clearing, with traffic speeds remaining slow for drivers approaching the interchange.

How long delays lasted and how far backups stretched

Traffic backups extended west of the crash location, with delays reported at up to about one hour as vehicles funneled through a reduced-lane section. Backups were observed reaching as far as Boerne Stage Road, reflecting how quickly a lane-blocking crash at a major interchange can ripple through the corridor.

In the period after lanes reopened, traffic was still moving well below typical freeway speeds, indicating residual congestion and the time it takes for bottlenecks to dissipate even after an incident is cleared.

What remains unconfirmed

As of the initial reports, key details had not been confirmed publicly, including:

• how many vehicles were involved
• whether any injuries occurred
• the cause of the crash

Because those facts were not immediately available, the incident was treated as an active traffic disruption rather than an investigation with established contributing factors.

Why this location often produces outsized impacts

The I-10 and Loop 1604 interchange is one of the region’s highest-volume junctions, serving cross-town movement between the Northwest Side and growing suburban areas. When multiple lanes are blocked at or near the interchange, the remaining capacity can be overwhelmed within minutes, especially during the morning rush.

Even after lanes reopen, driver volume and merging friction can keep speeds low for extended periods, prolonging travel times beyond the original crash window.

What drivers can do during similar incidents

• Allow extra time when approaching major interchanges during commute hours.
• Use alternate routes or frontage roads when main lanes are reduced to a single lane.
• Expect delays to persist after reopening as congestion clears gradually.