I-90 bridge reconstruction

Traffic impacts

I-90 overnight detour: June 9 and 10

Each night on June 9 and 10, 8 p.m. to 6 a.m., I-90 motorists will be detoured at the Highway 218 south bridge at 21st St NE near the Austin Municipal Airport. Crews will be setting bridge beams on the new bridge.

• Detour: Traffic will be directed up the off-ramp and down the on-ramp to continue on the highway.

I-90 overnight detour: June 17 and 18

Each night on June 17 and 18, 8 p.m. to 6 a.m., I-90 motorists will be detoured at the Highway 218 north bridge at 14th St NW near Riverland Community College. Crews will be setting bridge beams on the new bridge.

• Detour: Traffic will be directed up the off-ramp and down the on-ramp to continue on the highway.

14th Street NW bridge and road closed between I-90 and 18th Avenue NW: June 12 through fall

Beginning June 12, motorists wanting to use 14th Street Northwest bridge and road north of I-90 will be detoured for the bridge replacement and as the sanitary and storm sewer are replaced.

• Motorists who are southbound on Highway 218 in northwest Austin will need to turn east (left) at 18th Avenue Northwest and travel to 4th Street Northwest to turn south (right).
• Motorists who want to travel on I-90 can use the on-ramps at 4th Street in each direction.
• Motorists wanting to reach 14th Street NW on the south side of I-90 should continue south on 4th Street to 4th Avenue Northwest to go west (right) to reach 14th Street.
• Westbound I-90 motorists should use Exit 178A at 4th Street NW to reach 14th Street NW on the south side of I-90 by Riverland Community College.
• Eastbound I-90 motorists should continue to use 4th Street NW (Exit 178A) to reach the north side of I-90.
• Northbound motorists on 14th Street NW south of I-90 can reach the north side of I-90 and Highway 218 north by merging onto I-90 eastbound and exit at 4th Street NW (Exit 178A) to travel north on 4th Street.
• The westbound ramps at 14th Street NW will be closed. The eastbound ramps will remain open. During I-90 closures in June, all ramps will be open for detours up and down while I-90 is closed for single day or weekend bridge related work.

14th Street NW south bridge is scheduled to be demolished from 7 p.m., June 26 to 5 a.m., June 29. During demo, I-90 traffic will be detoured - directed up the off-ramp and down the on-ramp to continue on the highway.

14th Street NW / Highway 218 north

Demo of the Highway 218 north (14th Street NW) northbound bridge has occurred. Traffic will be allowed to cross the bridge in single lanes in each direction on the southbound bridge until the 14th Street NW south bridge is demolished.

Highway 218 south / 21st Street NE bridge closed

Demo of the Highway 218 south (21st Street NE) bridge has occured. Traffic is detoured during construction of the new bridge.

I-90 between 14th Street NW / Highway 218 north and Highway 218 south / 21st Street NE

• Traffic shifts occur and motorists travel in single lanes.

About this project

Summary of work

There are six sites along I-90 in Austin that have bridges that are scheduled to be replaced or repaired 2024 to 2026. In a separate, earlier, project, a bridge at 11th Drive NE was replaced in 2017 and a bridge at 28th Street NE was replaced in 2021.

Bridges involved

There are six sites along I-90 in Austin involved in the project with each having different needs.

2024

Oakland Avenue W/ Highway 105

A new bridge was constructed at Oakland Avenue (Highway 105) over I-90. The new bridge includes a wide walkway, which will connect to a future city/county trail. It opened to traffic on Oct. 18, 2024. View the design.

4th Street/ County Road 45

Construction of a new bridge was completed Nov. 21, 2025. The new layout will provide for safer walkway crossings of I-90 and improved traffic flow. View the design (JPG).

2025-2026

6th Street and Cedar River

Both I-90 bridges over 6th Street will be resurfaced and two new I-90 bridges over the Cedar River will be constructed. Work on the eastbound bridges was finished in fall of 2024. The I-90 westbound bridge work over 6th Street and the Cedar River will occur in the 2025-2026 construction season.

2026

14th Street/ Highway 218 North

The two bridges at this location will be replaced by one bridge and roundabouts will be constructed at each ramp intersection with 14th Street. The southbound bridge will stay open to the extent possible during construction. Short duration detours will be provided at 4th Street. This construction is scheduled for 2026. View the proposed design (PNG).

21st Street/ Highway 218 South

The 21st Street bridge and the south ramps will be reconstructed. The new bridge crossing will provide a wide walkway and connections to local trails. 21st Street will be closed during construction. 11th Drive and 28th Street will be available for short detours. This construction is scheduled for 2026. View the proposed design (JPG).

Why they are being replaced

I-90 is an important national east-west transportation route that connects many population centers in the U.S. in the Austin area. I-90 was built in the 1950s and the structures are at the end of their useful design life.