Commuters brace yourselves for yet another weekend of detours and delays at the Loop 1604 and I-10 interchange on San Antonio's Northwest Side. The Texas Department of Transportation is set to close sections of the highway starting from 9 p.m. on Friday until 5 a.m. on Monday, to progress with the Loop 1604 North Expansion Project, as reported by KSAT.
The closure includes both the east and westbound main lanes of Loop 1604 at the interchange, along with the westbound main lanes of I-10. Construction crews are installing steel beams for the project's second flyover ramp, said TxDOT. An important change for this weekend is that the eastbound 1604 traffic will be closed to Lockhill Selma Road, and motorists are advised to plan alternative routes. TxDOT is managing a Herculean task, using 800-ton cranes to place 20 steel beams.
According to a post on X, TxDOT's crews recently installed six steel beams, totaling 15 of the 20 beams needed for this phase of the project. A full weekend closure is necessary to carry out the construction safely and efficiently. Local law enforcement will be deployed to direct traffic through the maze of detours. The information detailed by ExpressNews suggests several ramp closures are part of this traffic upheaval, including three of four cloverleaf ramps at the Loop 1604 and I-10 interchange.
This mega project, once completed, is expected to reduce travel times by up to 80 minutes along the 23-mile stretch, with TxDOT replacing the old cloverleaf ramps with a five-level direct connect interchange. But for now, drivers will have to navigate around the extensive construction efforts throughout May. TxDOT promises to keep the public informed with updates on closures as the work is confirmed, ensuring the least amount of disruption possible.
For those determined or required by circumstance to traverse the interchange over the weekend, detour routes have been laid out with clear signage and instructions. Vehicles heading west on I-10 will need to take the exit after UTSA Boulevard and follow a series of frontage roads to re-enter either I-10 westbound or Loop 1604 westbound. Travelers on eastbound Loop 1604 looking to continue on Loop 1604 or switch to westbound I-10 will exit after La Cantera Parkway to negotiate the frontage roads and U-turns that will direct them back to their intended main lanes. Details of these detours and the latest on the closures can be tracked through respective local news platforms or TxDOT's online channels.
