Massive construction zone crash sparks shutdown on San Antonio interstate

A major crash in a construction zone shut down southbound I-35 on San Antonio's Northeast Side during the Wednesday morning commute before the main lanes reopened later in the day.

The crash happened around 6:23 a.m. on July 8, 2026, between Judson Road and O'Connor Road, according to local reporting. The stretch is part of the ongoing construction corridor on I-35, one of the city's busiest commuter routes.

Traffic quickly backed up as far as FM 1518, and all lanes in the affected area were closed after the collision. Drivers were diverted to the frontage road and could re-enter I-35 south of the crash site.

Texas Department of Transportation advised motorists to use alternate routes, including Lookout Road, Nacogdoches Road/FM 2252 and Wurzbach Parkway.

What officials and reporters said

MySA first reported that an 18-wheeler was involved in the crash in the construction zone. The Express-News later reported the crash was fatal and said the driver struck the 18-wheeler near O'Connor Road while traveling at a high rate of speed.

Neither outlet reported the victim's identity at the time of publication, and no formal cause of the collision had been announced in the reporting reviewed for this story.

Roadway reopening

By Wednesday afternoon, the main lanes of southbound I-35 had reopened. The right exit lane and shoulder remained closed, according to the Express-News report.

The shutdown briefly disrupted a heavily traveled route through San Antonio's Northeast Side, where construction already slows traffic on a normal commute day.