US 183 Closed Near RM 1431 After Severed Gas Line

A severed gas line brought a busy stretch of U.S. 183 in north Austin to a sudden standstill Thursday afternoon, with officials shutting down both directions near RM 1431 and triggering a major backup. Transportation officials urged drivers to steer clear and find another way around until the all-clear is given.

TxDOT Sounds The Alarm

According to TxDOT Austin, both directions of U.S. 183 near RM 1431 were closed after a gas line was severed, and drivers were urged to use alternate routes. The agency's X post, published Thursday afternoon, did not offer any estimate on when the highway might reopen.

Options For Drivers Stuck In The Mess

The Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority points to the 183A toll lanes and the corridor's express-lane network as potential relief valves for traffic trying to skirt the shutdown on U.S. 183, although tolls and limited access points can limit how useful those lanes are during a full closure. Per the Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority, the express lanes were designed to provide more reliable travel when the general-purpose lanes are blocked. Drivers looking to avoid tolls should expect heavier traffic on surface streets such as RM 1431 and the nearby frontage roads.

Frontage Road Work Adds To The Crunch

According to TxDOT, new frontage roads and related improvements along U.S. 183 are intended to improve mobility and serve as backup routes when main lanes are closed. Even so, local traffic services warn that surrounding collectors and neighborhood streets are likely to run slowly while the highway remains shut down. Drivers should build in extra time for trips through Cedar Park, Round Rock, and north Austin.

This story will be updated as officials release more information. In the meantime, commuters are encouraged to rely on local traffic apps and city alerts for the latest conditions before heading into the area.