North San Antonio | June 2025

Transportation

BY THOMAS LEFFLER

San Antonio’s largest transportation project has passed the halfway mark, according to Texas Department of Transportation ocials. The overview Marco Galindo, TxDOT alternative project deliv- ery supervisor, said the I-35 NEX Central project is now at 55% completion and is estimated to be nished by fall of 2027. The $1.5 billion project aims to add capacity to I-35 by constructing elevated lanes between main lanes and frontage roads, Galindo said. Project limits are between I-410 North in Northeast San Antonio and FM 3009 in Schertz, impacting 9.5 miles of I-35. What’s happening Nearly three years since the beginning of construction in June 2022, the I-35 NEX Central project has made progress on bridge elements for the elevated lanes. Galindo says bridge bent caps on NEX Central are half pre-cast o-site and half traditionally done on-site. Pre-cast caps are brought to the project site and placed overnight, whereas some caps are too big to be shipped to the project, which is one of the main transportation issues the TxDOT crew faces. “Right now, the biggest challenge with this and [next steps] is trucking, now that we have more projects online ... getting that coordinated avail- ability of resources to get these elements out to the I35 NEX project over halfway completed

I35 NEX Central elevated lane elements

Portions of the elevated lanes are under construction, and range from 7% to 52% complete. According to ocials from the Texas Department of Transportation, the overall project is 55% complete and is projected to be nished by late 2027.

WURZBACH PKWY.

1604

410

Complete

Remaining

Drill shafts bridge foundation

Bridge decks

Bridge columns

Bridge bent caps

Steel bridge girders

25%

52%

26%

30%

70%

75%

58%

93%

74%

SOURCE: TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATIONCOMMUNITY IMPACT

projects,” Galindo said. To address the myriad of road closures through- out Northeast San Antonio, Galindo said TxDOT has been trying to place beams over the weekends to minimize trac impacts. Next steps Eventual bridge deck pours will be another “time-consuming” step, according to Galindo. He added that he has been working with a contractor on better strategies to “get in and out” on future construction, as well as nd a balance between frontage road closures and main lane closures. Though the fall of 2027 is the completion target, Galindo added that his conversations with a contractor also include “any opportunities” to open up elevated lanes sooner.

The I35 NEX Central project is being constructed on 9.5 miles of roadway and is projected to be completed in late 2027.

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