San Antonio residents planning to navigate the north side this weekend should prepare for detours as the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) finalizes the opening of a new bridge connecting Blanco Road over Loop 1604. According to TxDOT, starting from 9 p.m. on Friday until 5 a.m. on Monday, all lanes of Blanco Road at the Loop 1604 intersection will be closed, as reported by KSAT.

The closure includes the Loop 1604 eastbound frontage road at Blanco Road, in addition to the main Blanco Road intersection itself. TxDOT stated that the bridge is scheduled to open to traffic Monday, once construction wraps up. Motorists will be directed to detour using Huebner Road or Stone Oak Parkway while, sections of Blanco Road are inaccessible over the weekend. The aim of this work is not solely the bridge itself, but the advent of a diverging diamond intersection designed to improve the flow of traffic in the area, as per details from Community Impact.

Detour routes have been clearly listed for travelers. Those on the Loop 1604 eastbound frontage road looking to access the main lanes, or continue on the frontage road, will be rerouted at Blanco Road to a turnaround at Bitters Road. TxDOT has carefully outlined detours for northbound and southbound travelers of Blanco Road depending on their approach from either side of Loop 1604. These details can help drivers navigate the construction with minimum confusion, as per KSAT.

The opening of the new bridge is part of the broader Loop 1604 North Expansion Project aiming to reduce congestion and enhance safety in an area of San Antonio seeing significant growth. The old bridge is slated for demolition upon completion of the new structure. These improvements, including the bridge and future intersection work, represent steps toward accommodating the region's transportation needs in the years to come, "once open, traffic will shift onto the new Blanco Road overpass as intersection improvement work continues," TxDOT explained, as mentioned by Community Impact.