San Antonio motorists are being urged to prepare for significant roadway adjustments as the Texas Department of Transportation begins a major permanent ramp closure along Interstate 10. Starting at 5 a.m. on Monday, September 14, state transportation crews will permanently close the eastbound I-10 entrance ramp located just south of the Loop 1604 interchange.
The permanent shutdown is expected to trigger widespread traffic challenges for commuters across northern San Antonio. Transportation officials warn that substantial delays are anticipated around prominent commercial and educational hubs, including The Rim and the University of Texas at San Antonio campus, with traffic disruptions likely persisting for months.
According to statements released by the Texas Department of Transportation, permanently taking the entrance ramp out of operation is a required operational step. The closure is necessary to provide construction crews with the physical clearance and access needed to carry out upcoming roadway improvements throughout the busy corridor.
Although this particular entrance ramp is being decommissioned permanently, state transportation planners noted that additional access infrastructure is slated to open in the near future. The agency expects to complete and open a newly constructed exit ramp in the surrounding area later this year to help balance traffic patterns once key project stages conclude.
In the meantime, the removal of the entrance ramp will directly alter daily routes for drivers leaving retail destinations at The Shops at La Cantera as well as commuters traveling toward UTSA Boulevard. Drivers are being encouraged by transportation officials to plan extra travel time and carefully review official alternate routes before navigating through the affected area.
To help drivers navigate the closure, the Texas Department of Transportation has established specific detour routes depending on a driver's point of origin. Motorists traveling along the eastbound I-10 frontage road will need to adjust their path to regain access to the highway's main travel lanes.
Drivers on the eastbound I-10 frontage road are instructed to continue straight through both the UTSA Boulevard and Hausman Road intersections. Once past those intersections, vehicles can enter the eastbound I-10 main lanes by using the entrance ramp located south of Hausman Road.
Motorists approaching from the eastbound Loop 1604 frontage road must follow a multi-step detour routing to reach eastbound I-10. Drivers are instructed to utilize the eastbound-to-westbound Loop 1604 U-turn situated at the I-10 interchange to merge onto the westbound Loop 1604 frontage road.
From the westbound Loop 1604 frontage road, vehicles must proceed to the U-turn located at Kyle Seale Parkway and transition onto the eastbound Loop 1604 frontage road. Commuters should then take the first available entrance ramp onto the eastbound Loop 1604 main lanes and stay in the right lane to access eastbound I-10 via the flyover ramp.
A third detour has been mapped out for travelers moving from westbound Loop 1604 who need to connect with eastbound I-10. Officials advise these drivers to follow the eastbound Loop 1604 frontage road straight through the I-10 interchange until reaching the U-turn at Northwest Military Highway.
Upon completing the U-turn at Northwest Military Highway, motorists will enter the westbound Loop 1604 frontage road. From there, drivers must take the first entrance ramp to join the westbound Loop 1604 main lanes and keep right to utilize the flyover ramp leading onto eastbound I-10.
This ramp closure marks a notable milestone within the broader Loop 1604 North Expansion Project. The massive initiative represents a $1.4 billion infrastructure investment dedicated to transforming a 23-mile section of highway extending from State Highway 16, also known as Bandera Road, all the way to Interstate 35.
According to state transportation officials, the overarching goal of the Loop 1604 expansion is to significantly increase mobility, reduce long-standing traffic congestion, and enhance safety. The highway segment has historically been identified as one of the most heavily congested travel corridors anywhere in Texas.
The project is classified by the Texas Transportation Commission as part of the broader Texas Clear Lanes initiative. This statewide program specifically targets and funds road improvements designed to alleviate severe traffic gridlock along the state's most congested transit corridors.
While local drivers will face ongoing construction and altered traffic patterns in the vicinity of Loop 1604 and I-10, work across the entire corridor is scheduled to continue over the coming years. Transportation officials currently project that the overall Loop 1604 North Expansion Project will reach final completion in 2028.
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