Image credit: Larry D. Moore via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 4.0). License: CC BY 4.0.
TxDOT is closing the eastbound and westbound State Highway 71 ramps to southbound I-35 in Austin nightly through Thursday, August 27, 2026. The flyovers shut from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. for bridge column work on the Capital Express South project, forcing overnight drivers onto a Ben White Boulevard detour.
The Austin District posted the alert on August 24 and confirmed the window begins Tuesday, August 25. If you are connecting between Austin-Bergstrom, downtown hotels, or southbound I-35 overnight this week, the clean traveler move is to skip those flyovers and follow the signed Ben White route instead.
- What closed: Eastbound and westbound SH 71 to southbound I-35 flyovers.
- When: Nightly Aug. 25 through Aug. 27, from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m.
- Why: Bridge column work for TxDOT’s I-35 Capital Express South project.
- Detour: Use Ben White Boulevard to reach southbound I-35.
- Who it hits: Overnight airport, hotel, and freight runs using the SH 71 interchange.
What TxDOT actually ordered this week
According to the official TxDOT Austin traffic alert, both the eastbound and westbound SH 71 to southbound I-35 flyovers are closed nightly beginning Tuesday, August 25, through Thursday, August 27. The overnight window runs from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. for bridge column work.
Same-day local reporting from MySA / Hearst matches those hours and points drivers to Ben White Boulevard for continued southbound I-35 access. TxDOT also noted detour cues via South Congress when traveling eastbound and via Burleson Road, Todd Lane, and Woodward Street when traveling westbound.
This is a scheduled construction closure, not a crash or weather stop. Daytime travel on the same flyovers is not covered by the overnight alert, but adjacent Capital Express South work can still create daytime queues.
Why these flyovers matter for travelers
SH 71 is a primary east-west connector for Austin-Bergstrom International Airport traffic and for drivers shifting between downtown, South Austin, and southbound I-35. Losing the direct flyovers overnight turns a short merge into a surface-street weave.
Airport arrivals after 9 p.m. that need southbound I-35 should budget extra time for Ben White. Hotel shuttles and rideshares using the same interchange face the same overnight detour through Thursday morning.
Freight and through-traffic on I-35 already deal with Capital Express South lane shifts. Stacking a flyover outage on top of that overnight work window is why TxDOT is pushing the Ben White message so hard.
How the Capital Express South project fits in
TxDOT ties the bridge column work to the I-35 Capital Express South project inside the MyMobility35 program. That corridor work is adding managed lanes between SH 71 / Ben White and SH 45 Southeast.
Travelers should treat this week’s flyover outage as one temporary slice of a multi-year rebuild, not a one-night anomaly.
Check DriveTexas.org or the TxDOT Austin feed before any overnight run, because nearby rolling closures on I-35 can stack on the same nights.
The Austin District has also flagged utility and paving windows on other I-35 segments this week, so one clear flyover plan is not enough if your route crosses a second work zone.
For trip context beyond the interchange, Deep Arrival’s Austin things to do guide covers the city side of an overnight stop. Drivers continuing south can use the San Antonio ranked list if the next morning ends there.
What else is moving on I-35 while the flyovers are dark
The SH 71 flyover order is specific, but it is not the only overnight risk on the corridor. TxDOT Austin has issued separate rolling-closure alerts for utility crossings and paving on nearby I-35 segments during the same late-August window.
That means a driver who correctly avoids the closed flyovers can still hit a short alternating lane closure a few miles north or south. Read the newest TxDOT Austin post before you leave, not only the August 24 flyover notice.
Capital Express South is designed to add high-occupancy managed lanes and rebuild congested merges south of downtown. Bridge column work is the kind of overnight task that cannot share space with live flyover traffic, which is why the agency chose a three-night 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. pattern instead of a weekend mainlane shutdown.
Practical detour steps for tonight and Thursday
If you are eastbound on SH 71 and need southbound I-35 overnight, follow TxDOT’s South Congress exit cues rather than waiting for a dark flyover that is closed. If you are westbound, use the Burleson, Todd Lane, or Woodward exits as posted.
Ben White Boulevard is the primary recovery path TxDOT named for southbound I-35 access. Keep navigation in offline mode in case cellular service drops in the work zone, and expect slower truck traffic on the detour.
Build a 20 to 30 minute buffer for airport pickups scheduled between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m. through Thursday. If your flight lands near the 9 p.m. start, leave earlier or wait until after 6 a.m. before committing to the SH 71 interchange.
Rideshare and hotel shuttle drivers should reset the pin to Ben White before the 9 p.m. cutoff. A passenger who requests “I-35 south via SH 71” after the flyovers close will still get a route, but it will not be the ramp sequence the app learned during daytime traffic.
Through travelers coming from San Antonio or heading toward Waco should treat the overnight interchange as a known friction point, not a surprise. If your schedule is flexible, move the pass to daylight hours and save the buffer for a different Capital Express South lane shift.
| If you | What to do |
|---|---|
| Need SB I-35 from SH 71 between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m. | Skip the flyovers and take Ben White Boulevard through Thursday morning. |
| Land at Austin-Bergstrom after 9 p.m. | Add a buffer, confirm the TxDOT alert, and avoid relying on the closed ramps. |
| Drive eastbound on SH 71 overnight | Watch for South Congress detour signs before the interchange. |
| Drive westbound on SH 71 overnight | Use Burleson, Todd Lane, or Woodward exits as posted by TxDOT. |
| Can shift your trip before 9 p.m. or after 6 a.m. | Do that when possible. Daytime flyover use is outside this overnight order. |
- Tonight through Thursday: Treat the SH 71 to SB I-35 flyovers as closed from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m.
- Use Ben White: That is TxDOT’s named path to keep southbound I-35 access.
- Recheck before you leave: Adjacent I-35 rolling closures can stack on the same nights.
- Airport runs need buffer: Late arrivals should not assume a direct flyover merge.
- This is construction, not weather: The window ends after the Aug. 27 overnight shift unless TxDOT extends it.
If your overnight route needs southbound I-35 from SH 71 before Friday morning, leave the flyovers out of the plan and take Ben White. Confirm the live TxDOT Austin alert before you depart, then keep one alternate surface route ready if the work zone moves.
When does TxDOT close the I-35 flyovers at SH 71 in Austin?
Nightly from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. beginning Tuesday, August 25, through Thursday, August 27, 2026.
Which ramps are closed?
Eastbound and westbound State Highway 71 to southbound I-35 flyovers are closed during those overnight hours.
How should drivers reach southbound I-35 during the outage?
TxDOT says to use Ben White Boulevard. Follow posted detours via South Congress eastbound and Burleson, Todd Lane, or Woodward westbound.
Why are the flyovers closed?
Bridge column work tied to the I-35 Capital Express South project inside TxDOT’s MyMobility35 program.
Does the closure affect daytime traffic?
This alert covers the overnight window only. Daytime flyover use is outside the order, though nearby construction can still slow the corridor.
