A key stretch of the northbound Interstate 35 frontage road near Lady Bird Lake will close Friday, launching years of detours for drivers and pedestrians as the state begins rebuilding the corridor through central Austin.
The closure will affect the northbound frontage road and adjacent sidewalk just north of Riverside Drive. It comes as Texas Department of Transportation contractors begin work on a new pedestrian bridge over the lake as part of the I-35 Capital Express Central project, which is expected to snarl traffic and disrupt lakeside recreation through at least 2033.
Drivers already on the northbound frontage road can use the bypass lane to continue north.
Westbound drivers on Riverside Drive who want to turn north onto I-35 must first head south on the opposite frontage road, make a U-turn at Woodland Avenue, then use the bypass to reach the northbound lanes.
Eastbound drivers turning north will follow the same route — head south, make a U-turn at Woodland Avenue and use the bypass.
Since the east sidewalk will also be closed, pedestrians will need to use the west sidewalk along the southbound frontage road to cross the Lady Bird Lake bridge. Crews have installed temporary pedestrian signals on either side of the interstate to cross Riverside Drive.
The closures are the latest traffic shakeup for drivers along the ever-changing I-35 corridor. Last week, TxDOT permanently closed the northbound Riverside Drive exit and the Holly Street entrance and exit as crews prepare to reconstruct the Lady Bird Lake bridge. A new Holly Street exit is now open, according to TxDOT.
The Capital Express Central project is set to rebuild I-35 through central Austin entirely in an effort to ease congestion. The project will sink the interstate below ground level, add carpool lanes, demolish the upper decks north of downtown and more.
The latest information on Austin’s I-35 rebuild is available at mymobility35.com.