Major Lane Closures on I-35 and US 281 Set to Impact Monday Commuters

Morning Overview

Good morning, San Antonio. For Monday, March 2, 2026, commuters should prepare for significant construction activity across several of the city's major arteries. While the morning rush is currently underway, specific projects on I-35 and the North Side will dictate traffic flow throughout the day. The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) continues its heavy push on the I-35 NEX project and the Loop 1604 expansion, meaning delays are likely during peak hours.

I-35 Northeast Expansion (NEX) Work

Drivers on the Northeast Side should be aware that the nightly lane closures between Walzem Road and Windcrest Drive are concluding their current phase this morning. However, lingering equipment and crews performing center median column work may still affect the early morning flow. These closures have impacted both northbound and southbound lanes throughout the weekend. As work on the $3 billion NEX project progresses, expect these nightly disruptions to transition into new phases later this week as the state continues expanding the interstate from eight to 14 lanes in this corridor.

US 281 and North Side Alerts

A major notice for evening commuters: US 281 will experience a full closure starting tonight at 7:00 PM between FM 791 West and FM 791 East. This closure is required for the removal of the existing steel truss bridge over the Atascosa River and the construction of the new bridge infrastructure. Drivers are advised to use I-37 as a primary detour and plan for extra travel time. Additionally, new construction on FM 3351 (Ralph Fair Road) is scheduled to begin at 8:00 AM today between Fair Oaks Parkway and Keenelan Drive, which will involve lane shifts and potential slowdowns for those in the Boerne and Fair Oaks Ranch area.

VIA Metropolitan Transit Detours

Public transport users should also prepare for disruptions as VIA Metropolitan Transit has issued several service alerts due to ongoing infrastructure work and the new Rapid Green Line development. The following routes are currently operating on detours:

• Route 5 (McCullough): Detoured near North Star Mall due to construction on the Loop 410 access road.
• Route 7 (US 281 Express): Multiple detours remain in place for the Stone Oak and Brooks Express segments.
• Route 14 (Perrin Beitel Skip): Experiencing detours and closed stops between the Titan Building and Greystone.
• VIA Rapid Green Line: Intermittent lane and sidewalk closures continue along San Pedro Avenue as utility work advances for the city's first advanced rapid transit corridor.

Commuters are encouraged to allow an extra 15 to 20 minutes of travel time, especially when moving through the North Side interchanges at Loop 1604 and I-10, where long-term expansion projects remain active and frequently cause congestion during the transition from morning to midday traffic.