Southbound I-35’s main lanes over the river in downtown Austin were closed Sunday morning after a box truck rolled over, scattering debris and prompting heavy delays. No injuries were reported. Crews were on scene to clear the truck and the spill, while detours routed drivers around the closure. The southbound service road remained open.
As reported by CBS Austin, Austin police said the closure began near Cesar Chavez Street and that TxDOT was diverting traffic to the Riverside Drive exit. The outlet noted crews needed time to remove wreckage and clear spilled debris before the main lanes could reopen. Police told the station that no one was hurt.
Why Downtown Traffic Was Snarled
I-35 is the city’s primary north–south artery, and a shutdown at the river crossing typically pushes traffic onto surface streets and frontage roads, compounding delays. The corridor is also the focus of major reconstruction and interchange projects intended to improve traffic flow, the City of Austin notes, which can reduce capacity near downtown ramps. Those factors mean even a single crash can have outsized effects on commute times while responders clear the scene.
What Drivers Should Know
Traffic was being diverted to the Riverside Drive exit, and the southbound frontage road remained open, so drivers heading into downtown should expect delays and consider alternate routes. For background on long‑term plans to rework the I‑35 corridor and why closures can have larger impacts, see the City of Austin's roadway projects page. Officials did not report any injuries and said clearance crews were working to reopen the main lanes as quickly as possible.
