The Texas Department of Transportation announced that it anticipates construction to begin at the Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard Bridge at Interstate 35 on March 31 as part of the I-35 Capital Express Central Project.

Actual demolition of the bridge will begin around April 20 with construction occurring nightly from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m, according to an University’s Construction Advisory email. Until then, the bridge will be prepared by blocking half of the roadway, decreasing traffic lanes and closing both the southbound and northbound exits. Eastbound and westbound traffic will continue in a limited capacity, with two lanes for eastbound and one for westbound direction.

The department expects the reconstruction will be completed by spring or summer 2026, with the entire project expected to be finished by 2033.

“The long-term goal of this project is to enhance safety and improve mobility for all users of the roadway,” Brad Wheelis, the department’s southwest communications director, said in an email.

The purpose of this project is to reconstruct and widen the bridge, Wheelis said. Travel in and out of campus and surrounding areas may take more time while the intersection is under construction, according to the construction advisory.

The bridge is the first section of the department’s I-35 Capital Express Central Project to be reconstructed, Wheelis said.

“One of the reasons the MLK Boulevard bridge was selected to be reconstructed first was to ensure UT students and faculty have east/west access throughout the Central construction project,” Wheelis said.

Wheelis said some reconstruction benefits include shared-use paths on both sides of I-35 and wider bridges to protect “vulnerable road users,” such as bicyclists and pedestrians.

“By mitigating congestion, establishing more reliable commute times and enhancing safety, the project is designed to improve the quality of life for Central Texans,” Wheelis said.