AUSTIN (KXAN) — It’s been nearly five months since the Texas Department of Transportation closed off the northbound Interstate 35 to northbound US 183 flyover to drivers. This Saturday, TxDOT will reopen the newly reconstructed flyover.

It was initially closed because it was too steep and would slow down traffic. Transportation leaders blew up a section of it in May and replaced it with a lowered ramp getting rid of that sharp incline.

  • A TxDOT crew implodes the N I-35 to N US 183 flyover (Picture: TxDOT)
  • Six-year-old Archer Foltermann reacts after pushing the ceremonial detonator to implode a portion of the northbound I-35 to northbound US 183 flyover (Courtesy TxDOT)

During the closure, drivers had to take a detour that directed them to the Rundberg Lane exit (#241) to take a U-turn at Rundberg Lane and transferred them onto the southbound I-35 to northbound U.S. 183 flyover. TxDOT also closed the U-turn at Rundberg Lane to local traffic to manage the flow of cars.

Now that the flyover has been completed and reopening, transportation officials said these improvements will make it safer for those traveling. TxDOT officials first announced they would get the project done by this fall and they did.

Here’s a year-by-year breakdown of the projects they have finished on budget and on time since fiscal year 2017.

  • FY 2017: 75% of projects finished on budget and 68% finished on time
  • FY 2018: 87% of projects finished on budget and 70% finished on time
  • FY 2019: 80% of projects finished on budget and 80% finished on time
  • FY 2020: 75% of projects finished on budget and 81% finished on time
  • FY 2021: 83% of projects finished on budget and 81% finished on time

TxDOT officials said when determining a budget, they plan for potential delays — whether that is a weather issue or now with the pandemic potential shortages in material or labor — and set aside additional funds. If projects finish on time and they don’t use the extra money, that money goes to projects that need it.

“Our goal is to complete our projects on time and early and there are delays that can occur and cause projects to take longer than they should but we work hard to mitigate those issues,” Diann Hodges, a TxDOT Spokesperson said.

This upgraded flyover will also include a new northbound bypass lane at St. John’s Avenue allowing drivers to skip the light. The flyover opens Saturday at 8 a.m. Friday evening at 11 p.m., TxDOT will shut down the northbound I-35 lanes near the flyover for restriping.