San Antonio drivers traveling through the Northside will face delays this week as construction continues on a notoriously congested interstate. The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) plans to shut down multiple roads near the Ikea in Live Oak.

Many Texans likely feel that work on Interstate 35 never ends. Tasks for the Northeast Expansion Program (I-35 NEX) are being rolled out in phases, so traffic is expected to continue over the next several months. In TxDOT’s latest media release, the agency says the following routes will be inaccessible Tuesday, June 23, through Friday, June 26: 

Commuters should note the timing of the roadblocks and plan accordingly. Tuesday through Thursday, the roadblocks are in place from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. On Friday, they’re active from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m. Officials say this schedule could change if the Alamo City is hit by severe weather. Still, folks should stay alert for crews and follow any signage in the area.

While it’s an inconvenience now, officials say the I-35 changes will benefit Texans once the project is partially completed in 2028. The plan involves expanding approximately 20 miles of I-35 from N. Walters Street to FM 1103 in Bexar, Comal and Guadalupe counties. The agency’s website states that the expansion will improve safety on the interstate and reduce the time residents spend in traffic. 

How? Tasks include adding two elevated structures that will carry two general-purpose lanes and one HOV lane in each direction, according to TxDOT. Other items on the to-do list include revisions to ramps and frontage roads, as well as accommodations for drainage, utilities and signs, per the agency.

Tasks are grouped into five categories: the Central Project, North Project, South Phase 1 Project, South Phase 2 Project and South Phase 3 Project. Construction on South Phase 1 (near Alamo Heights and Terrell Hills) began in the summer of 2024. 

The anticipated completion date for the Central Project (near Live Oak, Windcrest, Universal City, and Schertz) is late 2027. South Phases 2 and 3, as well as the North, are currently in the design stage, and no timeline is available.