San Antonio Road Construction Update: What Drivers, Riders and Businesses Need to Know
Major projects on Loop 1604, Interstate 35, U.S. 90 and the VIA Rapid Green Line are changing routes across the region, with construction expected to continue for several years.
SAN ANTONIO, Texas, July 27, 2026 — Road construction has become a defining part of daily life across the San Antonio region, and the orange barrels are not packing their bags anytime soon.
Large state highway expansions are underway on the North, Northeast and West sides, while city bond projects and construction for VIA Metropolitan Transit’s Rapid Green Line are affecting neighborhood streets, bus stops and business access closer to downtown.
For residents, the central issue is no longer simply whether construction is happening. It is how to navigate several overlapping projects without missing work, school, medical appointments, worship services or customers.
The largest projects are designed to address decades of population growth and worsening congestion. The tradeoff is a prolonged period of lane shifts, overnight closures, relocated bus stops and changing access points.
Loop 1604 remains the North Side’s biggest construction zone
The $1.4 billion Loop 1604 North Expansion covers 23 miles between State Highway 16, or Bandera Road, and Interstate 35. TxDOT divided the program into six segments involving new main lanes, frontage roads, ramps and major interchange work.
Two sections, Bandera Road to I-10 and I-10 to U.S. 281, are scheduled for completion in 2026. Work at the Loop 1604 and I-10 interchange, along with construction east of U.S. 281, is expected to continue through 2028. The final segment between Judson Road and I-35 is projected to start in late 2026 and continue into 2029.
The program affects some of the region’s busiest employment, shopping and education destinations, including UTSA, La Cantera, The Rim, Stone Oak and commercial areas near U.S. 281.
TxDOT recently scheduled another series of overnight shutdowns at the Loop 1604 and I-10 interchange from July 24 through early July 27. Those closures included portions of I-10, eastbound Loop 1604 and frontage roads near the interchange. Another weekend operation temporarily changed traffic patterns between Gold Canyon and Redland roads for bridge-joint repairs.
Those particular shutdowns were scheduled to conclude Monday morning, but residents should expect additional work. TxDOT says construction ordinarily occurs during the day from Monday through Saturday, while necessary lane closures are generally scheduled between 9 p.m. and 5 a.m. Sunday night through Friday morning. Schedules can change because of weather or construction conditions.
A permanent traffic change also began in July near The Rim, where the eastbound Loop 1604 entrance ramp just beyond I-10 was closed for interchange reconfiguration. Drivers using the frontage road must continue to the next available entrance.
Interstate 35 construction stretches through Northeast Bexar County
The I-35 Northeast Expansion, known as I-35 NEX, is rebuilding approximately 20 miles of the corridor between North Walters Street and FM 1103 through San Antonio, Windcrest, Live Oak, Selma and Schertz.
The program includes elevated structures carrying two general-purpose lanes and one high-occupancy-vehicle lane in each direction. The intention is to separate more regional traffic from vehicles making shorter local trips.
The 9.5-mile Central project runs from I-410 North to FM 3009. Its design-build cost is $1.5 billion, and completion is currently projected for late 2027. The work includes new elevated lanes, direct connections to I-410 and Loop 1604, and redesigned entrance and exit ramps.
South Phase 1 covers 4.2 miles between I-410 South and I-410 North near Windcrest. That $700 million project is expected to be completed in 2028.
A separate $84.5 million project is reconstructing I-410 near FM 78, expanding the roadway from four to six lanes and changing frontage-road and cross-street operations. Completion is projected for late 2028.
People traveling between Fort Sam Houston, Windcrest, Live Oak, Selma, Schertz and Northeast San Antonio should be prepared for recurring ramp changes and overnight work. TxDOT says most disruptive construction is planned for weeknights, but schedules vary by segment. The agency provides project newsletters and allows residents to subscribe for phone or email updates.
U.S. 90 expansion brings long-term changes to the West Side
Construction is also underway on the first phase of the U.S. 90 Expansion between Loop 410 and Loop 1604.
The $146 million phase covers 3.3 miles and is expected to continue through 2030. TxDOT plans to widen U.S. 90 from two to three main lanes in each direction, build continuous frontage roads, add a two-lane flyover from westbound U.S. 90 to northbound Loop 1604 and construct a roundabout at Ray Ellison Boulevard.
A second phase between Loop 1604 and State Highway 211 is projected for 2028 through 2032. Its estimated cost is $339 million, although TxDOT says only part of that funding has been secured.
The project will affect fast-growing communities around Lackland Air Force Base, Hunt Lane, Montgomery Road, Ray Ellison Boulevard and far-west Bexar County.
For families and businesses, the key concern will be frontage-road access. Even when highway main lanes remain open, changes to ramps, cross streets and turnarounds can alter how motorists reach schools, subdivisions, restaurants and shopping centers.
VIA Green Line construction is changing bus stops and neighborhood travel
Not all of the region’s transportation construction involves highways.
Work on VIA’s Rapid Green Line is producing temporary lane restrictions and bus-stop relocations along Isom Road, San Pedro Avenue, downtown streets and the South Side. The line is expected to open in April 2028, connecting the airport area with downtown, the Missions corridor and Brooks Transit Center.
Current impacts include the following:
- Northbound San Pedro stops between Breeden and Recoleta are scheduled to remain closed until approximately October 2, 2026.
- Southbound stops between Audubon and Hollywood have an estimated reopening date of October 19.
- Northbound stops between Elmira and Poplar are expected to be affected through October 16.
- Southbound Isom Road stops between Oasis and San Pedro have an estimated end date of October 31.
- Beginning August 21, additional southbound San Pedro stops between North Star Transit Center and Linda Street are scheduled to close through approximately December 2.
Temporary boarding locations have been established, but riders should verify their stop before leaving home. A familiar pole may be gone, moved down the block or temporarily replaced by a stop on another street. The bus-stop shuffle has become its own small urban scavenger hunt.
Construction is also affecting Routes 34 and 42 along Roosevelt Avenue and South St. Mary’s Street. Several stops between Steves Avenue and Eagleland are scheduled to remain closed through approximately November 28.
City and county street projects continue beyond the major highways
San Antonio voters approved a $1.2 billion bond program in 2022 covering streets, drainage, parks and public facilities. As of April 2026, the city reported that 66% of the program’s projects were either completed or under construction.
The city maintains more than 4,200 miles of streets and operates searchable dashboards showing project locations, budgets, estimated completion dates and contact information. The dashboards include bond projects, street rehabilitation, sidewalks, alleys and drainage work.
Bexar County maintains a separate capital-project map for roads, flood-control projects and sidewalks. County officials say that information is updated on the 15th of each month and when significant changes occur. Questions can be directed to Bexar County Public Works at 210-335-6700.
County planning documents also show projects moving toward construction or bidding, including extensions or improvements involving Bent Canyon, Marbach Road, Roft Road, Boerne Stage Road and several subdivision corridors. Timelines remain subject to design, utility and right-of-way work.
Why This Matters to San Antonio
These projects are not simply engineering diagrams painted across a map. They affect whether a parent reaches day care before closing, whether a home health worker arrives on time, whether a restaurant receives its delivery or whether a congregation’s Sunday traffic can reach the parking lot.
The work also exposes an important divide in how construction is experienced.
A driver may lose 20 minutes to a detour. A transit rider can lose an entire connection when a stop moves. A small business can lose customers for months when driveway access becomes confusing or navigation software sends visitors somewhere else.
The City of San Antonio acknowledges that construction can place a particular burden on businesses. Its Economic Development Department offers marketing tools and other assistance for qualifying businesses in city construction zones, including a complimentary one-year Visit San Antonio Silver membership program.
The city’s broader “Road to Progress” initiative was established to improve transparency, project accountability and communication after residents and businesses raised concerns about delays and incomplete information. Project dashboards are intended to provide current schedules, costs and contact personnel, although city officials caution that construction dates can still move.
What Residents Need to Know
Before traveling through a major construction corridor, residents should check conditions the same day rather than relying on last week’s route.
TxDOT maintains live San Antonio lane-closure information and directs travelers to DriveTexas for statewide conditions. Loop 1604 updates are posted weekly, while electronic message boards provide immediate warnings near active work zones.
VIA riders can review its service-alert and long-term-stop-closure pages or use the agency’s trip-planning tools. Riders should allow extra walking and transfer time, particularly along San Pedro, Isom, Roosevelt and downtown routes.
Residents looking for city-managed street work can use San Antonio’s bond, street, sidewalk and drainage dashboards. General city service questions can also be submitted through 311 or by calling 210-207-6000.
Businesses affected by city construction can contact the Economic Development Department’s construction assistance program at 210-207-3922.
What Residents Should Watch Next
The next major turning points will be whether the Bandera Road-to-I-10 and I-10-to-U.S. 281 portions of Loop 1604 reach their projected 2026 completion dates, when work begins on the final Loop 1604 segment near Judson Road and I-35, and how ramp configurations change as the I-10 interchange advances.
Residents should also watch for additional VIA Green Line phases beginning along San Pedro Avenue in August, new traffic shifts on I-35 NEX and increasingly visible construction along U.S. 90.
San Antonio is building transportation infrastructure for the city it is becoming. Until those lanes, ramps and transit corridors open, the most useful travel accessory may be neither a toll tag nor a cup holder. It may simply be ten extra minutes and a freshly checked route.
Sources and Full Links
Texas Department of Transportation
- Loop 1604 North Expansion overview
https://www.txdot.gov/projects/projects-studies/san-antonio/loop1604.html - Loop 1604 project segments, timelines and costs
https://www.txdot.gov/projects/projects-studies/san-antonio/loop1604/project-segments.html - Loop 1604 lane closures and traffic impacts
https://www.txdot.gov/projects/projects-studies/san-antonio/loop1604/traffic-impacts.html - I-35 Northeast Expansion overview
https://www.txdot.gov/35nex.html - I-35 NEX Central project
https://www.txdot.gov/35nex/nex-central.html - I-35 NEX South Phase 1
https://www.txdot.gov/35nex/nex-south/i35-nex-south-phase-1.html - I-35 NEX South Phase 3 and I-410/FM 78 improvements
https://www.txdot.gov/35nex/nex-south/i35-nex-south-phase-3.html - I-35 NEX frequently asked questions
https://www.txdot.gov/35nex/project-faq.html - I-35 NEX traffic impacts and live closure information
https://www.txdot.gov/35nexcentral/traffic-impacts.html - U.S. 90 Expansion overview
https://www.txdot.gov/projects/projects-studies/san-antonio/us90.html - U.S. 90 project phases, costs and construction timelines
https://www.txdot.gov/projects/projects-studies/san-antonio/us90/project-phasing.html - U.S. 90 Expansion frequently asked questions
https://www.txdot.gov/projects/projects-studies/san-antonio/us90/faq.html - TxDOT San Antonio active-project directory
https://www.txdot.gov/projects/projects-studies/san-antonio.html - TxDOT San Antonio live traffic map
https://its.txdot.gov/its/District/SAT/map - DriveTexas current road conditions
https://conditions.drivetexas.org/current/
TxDOT’s pages provide the official project limits, costs, construction phases, anticipated completion dates and traffic-impact information used in the article.
VIA Metropolitan Transit
- VIA Rapid Green Line construction updates
https://www.viainfo.net/green-line-construction-updates/ - Green Line bus-stop closures and construction detours
https://www.viainfo.net/2026/06/26/plan-ahead-for-via-rapid-green-line-construction-detours/ - VIA long-term stop closures and road detours
https://www.viainfo.net/long-term-stop-closures/ - VIA service alerts
https://www.viainfo.net/service-alerts/ - VIA Metropolitan Transit homepage and trip information
https://www.viainfo.net/
The VIA sources contain the latest information about Green Line construction, affected routes, relocated stops and estimated reopening dates. Because these notices change as construction advances, riders should verify their route on the day of travel.
City of San Antonio
- Road to Progress construction-information hub
https://www.sa.gov/Directory/Initiatives/Road-to-Progress - City infrastructure and bond-project dashboards
https://www.sa.gov/Directory/Initiatives/Road-to-Progress/Project-Dashboards - Road to Progress transparency and business-access policies
https://www.sa.gov/Directory/Initiatives/Road-to-Progress/About - 2022–2027 San Antonio Bond Program
https://www.sa.gov/Directory/Departments/CDD/Bond-Programs/2022-Bond - Construction resources for affected San Antonio businesses
https://www.sa.gov/Directory/Departments/EDD/Programs-Grants/Construction - Construction toolkit for small businesses
https://www.sa.gov/Directory/Departments/EDD/Programs-Grants/Construction/Toolkit - City of San Antonio Capital Delivery Department
https://www.sa.gov/Directory/Departments/CDD
The city dashboards allow residents to search individual street, sidewalk, drainage and bond projects by location, cost, timeline and project contact.
Bexar County
- Bexar County road, flood-control and sidewalk projects
https://www.bexar.org/1502/Bexar-County---Projects - Bexar County Public Works Department
https://www.bexar.org/1380/Public-Works-Department - Bexar County capital-project map data
https://maps.bexar.org/arcgis/rest/services/PW/Capital_Projects/MapServer/0
Bexar County says its capital-project information is updated monthly on the 15th and when major changes occur. Public Works can be reached at 210-335-6700.
Local Reporting
- MySA: Major Loop 1604 closures and traffic changes, July 24, 2026
https://www.mysanantonio.com/news/local/traffic/article/loop-1604-closure-22357380.php - MySA: Permanent Loop 1604 ramp closure near The Rim, July 6, 2026
https://www.mysanantonio.com/news/local/traffic/article/loop-1604-traffic-san-antonio-22333787.php