Northbound drivers heading toward the Austin area Thursday morning got an unwelcome surprise when a crash shut down all main lanes of I-35 near the SE Inner Loop and shoved traffic onto the frontage road, triggering major backups. The closure halted the northbound mainlanes completely, and there were no immediate public details about injuries or when the highway would reopen.
According to TxDOT Austin, "TRAFFIC ALERT: Northbound I-35 near SE Inner Loop, all lanes closed due to a crash. Traffic diverting to the frontage road. #atxtraffic." The agency urged drivers to seek alternate routes while crews work to clear the scene. This story will be updated as authorities release more information about the crash and the reopening timeline.
Why This Stretch Sees Big Delays
If this spot on I-35 feels cursed to your commute, you are not imagining it. This section has seen multiple crash-related shutdowns in recent months, sometimes keeping lanes closed for hours and tying up traffic across the region, as reporting from MySA shows. Heavy freight traffic, combined with tight merge areas, can slow down crash clearing and quickly turn a single wreck into a full-on corridor backup.
TxDOT Projects Aim To Ease Bottlenecks
TxDOT has long been eyeing this SE Inner Loop stretch for fixes. The agency has planned reconstruction work and frontage-road upgrades along this piece of I-35 to tackle both safety and congestion, according to its project materials. TxDOT's Austin district page details proposals that include intersection redesigns and frontage-road changes meant to cut down on messy merges and reduce the impact of crash-related closures. Those improvements are intended to help in the long run, though drivers can expect periodic lane work and detours while construction is underway.
Where To Find Live Updates
For real-time traffic information, the state travel site DriveTexas offers live maps, camera views, and incident reports. Local news and traffic desks will continue to circulate agency alerts as more details come out, so anyone heading through the area should build in extra time or stick to alternate routes until the northbound mainlanes are fully reopened.
