San Antonio Under Construction: Major Highway, Airport and Downtown Projects Push Forward
SAN ANTONIO, Texas, Aug. 31, 2026 - Construction cranes, concrete barriers and orange cones have become an unmistakable part of San Antonio's landscape, but many of the city's largest infrastructure projects are now showing measurable progress.
From the massive Loop 1604 and Interstate 35 expansions to a new airport terminal, hospital campuses and continued redevelopment around the Alamo, billions of dollars in construction are reshaping how San Antonio moves, grows and welcomes visitors.
Here is where several of the region's biggest projects stand.
Loop 1604 expansion reaches major milestones
The Loop 1604 North Expansion remains one of the most visible construction projects in San Antonio.
The roughly $1.3 billion program stretches from Bandera Road toward I-35 and is adding general-purpose lanes and HOV capacity while completely reconstructing the heavily traveled I-10/Loop 1604 interchange.
Progress is becoming much easier to see.
The section from Bandera Road to I-10 is substantially complete, while the massive I-10 interchange reconstruction is about 78% complete. All eight major flyover connectors have now opened to traffic, although construction continues on the lower portions of the interchange, frontage roads, ramps and other infrastructure. The interchange phase is currently expected to finish in late 2027.
Farther east, the I-10-to-Stone Oak Parkway portion is substantially complete, while the Stone Oak-to-Redland Road phase is approximately 62% complete and the Redland-to-Judson Road phase is around 42% complete. The final Judson Road-to-I-35 phase is expected to begin later in 2026 and continue into 2029.
San Antonio drivers felt the construction again this past weekend as TxDOT carried out major closures around Loop 1604 and I-10 to continue work on the interchange.
Bottom line: Loop 1604 is nowhere near cone-free yet, but the project has moved beyond the stage where residents are simply hearing promises. Major pieces are now open and operating.
I-35 NEX is approaching a major turning point
On the Northeast Side, the extraordinary I-35 Northeast Expansion, or NEX, is creating an elevated highway system above and alongside portions of the existing interstate.
TxDOT's overall program covers roughly 20 miles from the San Antonio area toward Schertz and Cibolo. The project will eventually provide elevated general-purpose and HOV lanes designed to separate longer-distance traffic from drivers making shorter local trips.
The largest Central Segment is now reported at approximately 79% complete, with completion expected in late 2027. The southbound elevated roadway between the Bexar/Guadalupe county line and Loop 410 West is expected to begin carrying traffic in early 2027.
Other portions are also moving:
- South Segment Phase 1: about 62% complete, with completion expected in late 2028.
- South Segment Phase 2: about 16% complete, targeting early 2030.
- South Segment Phase 3: about 43% complete, targeting late 2028.
- North Segment: funded, with construction expected to begin in 2027.
A major I-35 southbound closure near Randolph Boulevard and Fratt Road this past weekend was tied directly to NEX construction, as crews installed a steel bridge beam.
This is one of the projects where San Antonio's future freeway system is literally rising above the old one. 🏗️
SH 151 project enters the home stretch
Drivers on the West Side have one project that is getting close to the finish line.
The roughly $100 million SH 151 improvement project between Loop 410 and Loop 1604 is approximately 91% complete, according to a project status update dated Aug. 23.
Construction began in May 2023 and is expected to finish in late 2026. The work has expanded SH 151 from four to six lanes and included a new westbound SH 151-to-northbound Loop 1604 connector, which opened in April 2025.
For West Side commuters who have lived among barricades for several years, this is one of the strongest signs that the construction marathon actually does contain a finish line.
US 90 expansion ramps up on the Far West Side
Another major project is only beginning its long construction cycle.
TxDOT is expanding US 90 West, including the corridor between Loop 410, Loop 1604 and eventually SH 211.
Phase 1 between Loop 410 and Loop 1604 started in December 2025. A recent Aug. 23 project status update placed that phase at roughly 21% complete, with a long-range completion target around 2030.
The project includes highway widening, frontage-road work, improved intersections and ultimately a new flyover connecting westbound US 90 with northbound Loop 1604.
Drivers encountered another major construction operation this weekend when Loop 1604 at US 90 was closed for paving work.
With explosive residential development continuing across western Bexar County, projects like US 90 are becoming less about catching up with today's population and more about preparing for what the area could look like a decade from now.
A new Loop 410 and San Pedro project is getting started
And yes, another major highway project is entering the chat. 🚧
TxDOT is moving forward with approximately $156 million in improvements around Loop 410, US 281 and San Pedro Avenue.
The project covers approximately 4.3 miles of Loop 410 from West Avenue to Broadway Street and 2.7 miles of US 281 from Loop 410 to East Nakoma Drive.
The improvements are intended to address congestion, crashes and operational problems around one of North Central San Antonio's busiest transportation corridors, including the area near San Antonio International Airport. TxDOT held a stakeholder open house Aug. 27 to discuss the construction timeline and upcoming work.
That means North Side drivers should expect this interchange area to become another major construction zone as work progresses.
San Antonio International Airport's transformation is on schedule
Away from the highways, one of San Antonio's most consequential construction programs is unfolding at San Antonio International Airport.
The centerpiece is the approximately $1.4 billion Terminal C, an 850,000-square-foot terminal planned with 18 gates, lounges, concessions, an indoor courtyard and upgraded international-arrival facilities.
Construction remains on schedule for a 2028 opening, according to a July progress report. Much of the terminal's structural steel support system had already been installed by late July.
Travelers are already experiencing related construction.
Curbside roadway work around the existing terminals began in March and is expected to continue through December 2026. Portions of curbside lanes are being closed in phases to support construction of Terminal C, with the airport encouraging travelers to arrive early.
The airport is essentially being rebuilt while remaining fully operational, the transportation equivalent of renovating the kitchen while dinner service continues.
The Alamo redevelopment continues
Downtown's most recognizable construction project is also moving forward.
The Paseo del Alamo, connecting the historic site with the River Walk, has now reopened with landscaping, water features and a new welcome center.
Preservation work is continuing around the Alamo Church, while construction fencing remains along portions of Houston Street to accommodate the new Alamo Visitor Center and Museum.
That roughly 160,000-square-foot museum complex is scheduled to open in spring 2028 and will include galleries, a 4D theater, event areas, a rooftop terrace, café and museum retail space.
The redevelopment means construction will remain part of the Alamo Plaza experience for a while longer, but several pedestrian-oriented portions are already returning to public use.
University Health is building two new hospitals, and they're getting bigger
Healthcare construction is another major component of San Antonio's building boom.
University Health is developing Palo Alto Hospital on the South Side and Retama Hospital on the Northeast Side, with both expected to open in 2027.
The organization announced this summer that the projects had generated an estimated $60.7 million construction budget surplus. Rather than simply banking the savings, University Health approved plans to expand inpatient capacity and outpatient examination space before the hospitals even open.
Construction is visibly progressing at both sites, and University Health maintains time-lapse cameras documenting development of the hospital campuses.
On the Palo Alto campus, another milestone came this summer when the large Flor de Esperanza sculpture was installed in front of the future hospital.
San Antonio's $1.2 billion bond program continues moving
Construction is not limited to headline-grabbing megaprojects.
The city's 2022-2027 Bond Program contains 187 projects totaling $1.2 billion, covering streets, sidewalks, drainage, parks, libraries, cultural facilities and public-safety infrastructure.
As of June 2026, the city reported that 72% of those projects were either complete or under construction.
The City of San Antonio says its broader infrastructure needs exceed $6 billion, meaning construction will continue well beyond the current bond cycle.
What all this construction means for San Antonio
The short answer is: San Antonio is making substantial progress, but the construction boom is not close to ending.
Several projects are entering their final stretches. SH 151 is roughly 91% complete. Much of the original western Loop 1604 work is substantially finished. The I-35 NEX Central segment is approaching the 80% mark.
At the same time, other projects are only beginning. US 90 has years of work ahead. Loop 410 and San Pedro improvements are getting underway. Terminal C will remain under construction through 2028, while portions of Loop 1604 and I-35 extend toward 2029 and 2030.
So San Antonio's orange-cone era isn't disappearing anytime soon. But underneath all that temporary frustration, a dramatically different transportation and infrastructure network is beginning to take shape.
For residents, the next few years will require some patience. For the city, the payoff could be improved highway capacity, a larger airport, expanded healthcare access, upgraded downtown attractions and infrastructure designed for a metropolitan area that continues to grow.
Sources and full links
TxDOT - I-35 Northeast Expansion Program:
https://www.txdot.gov/35nex.html
TxDOT - I-35 NEX Central:
https://www.txdot.gov/35nex/nex-central.html
TxDOT - Loop 410/San Pedro Improvement Project:
https://www.txdot.gov/projects/projects-studies/san-antonio/loop410-san-pedro.html
Texas Highway Man - Loop 1604 North Expansion, updated Aug. 2026:
https://texashighwayman.com/lp1604exp.shtml
Texas Highway Man - I-35 NEX construction progress:
https://www.texashighwayman.com/i35nex.shtml
Texas Highway Man - SH 151 Expansion:
https://www.texashighwayman.com/prj-sh151exp.shtml
San Antonio International Airport - Current construction:
https://flysanantonio.com/home/construction/
San Antonio Report - Terminal C construction progress:
https://sanantonioreport.org/with-bonds-beams-and-billions-of-dollars-the-airports-terminal-development-project-is-on-track/
The Alamo - August 2026 construction update:
https://www.thealamo.org/support/alamo-plan/news/alamo-area-construction-news-august-2026
The Alamo - Visitor Center and Museum:
https://www.thealamo.org/support/alamo-visitor-center-museum
City of San Antonio - 2022-2027 Bond Program:
https://www.sa.gov/Directory/Departments/CDD/Bond-Programs/2022-Bond
City of San Antonio - Current street closures and construction:
https://www.sa.gov/Directory/Departments/PWD/Traffic/Street-Closures
University Health - Hospital expansion update:
https://www.universityhealth.com/es-US/news/new-community-hospitals-expand-before-opening
University Health - Live construction progress:
https://www.universityhealth.com/about-us/expansion/time-lapse
MySA - Latest Loop 1604/I-10 construction closure:
https://www.mysanantonio.com/news/local/traffic/article/loop-1604-closure-i10-22406435.php
MySA - US 90/Loop 1604 construction:
https://www.mysanantonio.com/news/local/traffic/article/loop-1604-shutdown-san-antonio-22405154.php