Serious progress is being made on the massive overhaul of Texas’ biggest state loop – the one that circles San Antonio. In the progress, some pain points are bound to arise. In the latest, a list of weekend closures spanning dawn to dusk may leave some Loop 1604 travelers running a little late.
Every night, between 9 p.m. to 5 a.m., from Friday, March 27, to Monday, several closures will plague the rapidly evolving interchange between Loop 1604 and I-10. The westbound main lanes of Loop 1604 will be closed, where they meet the interstate, pushing drivers off the highway to take the access road through the intersection.
The eastbound lanes of Loop 1604 will be closed at these same times. So, anyone heading that way looking to get on I-10 West, heading north, will have to exit for eastbound I-10 and take the U-turn at DeZavala Road.
These closures may feel inconvenient now, but it’s all in the name of progress. The Texas Department of Transportation is mid-way through a sweeping $1.4 billion overhaul. The project is expanding Loop 1604 into a 10-lane expressway and creating a series of stacked, direct connectors between 1604 and I-10.
“It’s one of the most congested corridors in the state,” TxDOT Public Information Officer Jennifer Serold previously told MySA. “Over the next 20 to 25 years, the amount of daily drivers is expected to double. So, this expansion project is to prepare for future growth but also to give benefits to drivers in the next few years … It’s bringing a lot of congestion relief to drivers by giving them more lanes to travel on. And then, of course, when you reduce congestion, you increase safety for the drivers.”
Another round of daytime closures kicks off Saturday through Sunday, shutting down two flyover ramps connecting Loop 1604 and I-10. Between 5 a.m. and 9 p.m. all weekend, the ramps connecting eastbound and westbound Loop 1604 lanes to I-10 West sill shutter.