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San Antonio highways close as freezing rain picks up, city officials say

Police Chief William McManus: Safety is No. 1 priority

SAN ANTONIOUpdate:

The San Antonio - Bexar County Office of Emergency Management announced Sunday afternoon that all major San Antonio highways and other roads will be closed due to inclement weather.

The closings began at 3 p.m., Sunday, and officials issued a public safety alert to warn residents of the closures, which are listed below.

All major SA highways:

  • North and south bound lanes of 281 from loop 410 to 1604
  • East and West bound lanes of IH 10 from Loop 410 to 1604
  • East and West bound lanes of Loop 1604 from 281 to IH 10
  • Hwy 151 between Loop 410 to 1604
  • 1604 East and West from IH10 to 281
  • US 281 North and South between St Mary’s & Basse Rd
  • US 281 at IH 35
  • Wurzbach Parkway
  • Loop 1604 between 281 and I-35 North

Loop 1604 Overpasses / Flyovers

  • Loop 1604 West & Hwy 90 W
  • Loop 1604 West & Hwy 151
  • Loop 1604 West & IH 10 West
  • Loop 1604 East & US 281 North

Loop 410 Overpasses / Flyovers

  • NW Loop 410 & Hwy 151
  • NW Loop 410 & IH 10 West
  • NW Loop 410 & US 281
  • NE Loop 410 & US 281
  • SE Loop 410 & IH 37 South

Downtown Loop – Upper Levels & Ramps

  • Upper level of inbound IH 10 West downtown
  • Upper level of IH 35 Northbound and Southbound downtown
  • Downtown Loop

For more on road closures, click here.

Original:

San Antonio Police Chief William McManus said police want to be proactive in closing highways Sunday evening to prevent crashes from piling up as more icy rain is expected throughout Sunday afternoon and evening.

McManus held a briefing about road conditions in San Antonio, saying he didn’t have “any good news” to share about the freezing temperatures that are forecasted.

“(The conditions) are already really bad,” McManus said.

While McManus said that the plan to shut down stretches of the highway was “not definite,” he said his discussions with city and TxDOT officials have been centered around that plan.

“We don’t want the barometer of how safe it is out there ... to depend upon how many people are starting to crash,” McManus said. “We want to close roadways, highways or at least portions of them before that begins.”

The police chief reinforced what other public officials have been telling residents amid this weather — do not drive unless it is an emergency. The department has already received more than 800 calls for traffic incidents, McManus said, and dispatchers have been inundated.

The closures will start on the North Side and continue south as the weather progresses, McManus said.

The freezing temperatures have led to the closures of virtually every highway interchange and overpass. Conditions may get worse with more sleet and even snow projected this afternoon.

Check current road conditions, closures in San Antonio area

Early Sunday, San Antonio police officer Travis Gossett was hospitalized in critical condition after he was struck by a car while working a crash on Highway 281 and Brook Hollow.

“I don’t want to anticipate what the prognosis is going to be but he is not doing well,” McManus said. “The bottom line here is we need to stay off the roadways in order to stay safe.”

Police believe the icy conditions, combined with failure to control speed, resulted in the tragic incident.

Stay Informed

As always, Your Weather Authority team will keep you updated. You can get the very latest forecast anytime by bookmarking our weather page and downloading the KSAT Weather Authority App - available for both Apple and Android devices.

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