Changes Coming To St. Johns Avenue This Summer

NORTH AUSTIN, TX — Major work will undertaken at the St. Johns Avenue bridge over Interstate 35 during the next several months, transportation officials said this week.

Texas Department of Transportation officials said the work, part of the I-35 from Rundberg Lane to US 290 East project, will begin after the school year has concluded in May. The St. Johns Ave bridge will reopen to the public later this fall, weather permitting, TxDot officials added.

Construction work will include:

• Demolition and reconstruction of the St. Johns Avenue bridge.
• Addition of new frontage road U-turns in each direction at St. Johns Avenue.
• Addition of new intersection bypass lanes in each direction under St. Johns Avenue.

During demolition and reconstruction of the St. John’s Avenue bridge, traffic on both St. Johns Avenue and I-35 will be diverted.

• St. Johns Avenue: Drivers wishing to cross I-35 at St. John’s Avenue will be detoured onto the I-35 frontage roads and required to make a U-turn at either US 183 or US 290 East to cross I-35. Traffic will be in this configuration for most of the summer.
• I-35 main lanes: During the St. John’s bridge demolition, traffic will be shifted on north and southbound I-35 by a moveable concrete traffic barrier between US 183 and St. Johns Avenue over two weekends in June, weather permitting.

During bridge reconstruction, pedestrians and bicyclists access will remain at St. Johns Avenue on the recently completed U-turn bridge that will later serve as the permanent south to northbound U-turn for vehicles, officials added. The temporary walkway, which will include signalized crosswalks on both the east and west side of I-35, will be located on the north side of St. Johns Avenue, according to a TxDot description of the project. Additionally, officials said the walkway will remain in place until the new St. Johns Avenue bridge is completed and open for traffic later this year.

Graphic courtesy of Texas Department of Transportation.