AUSTIN, Texas — Freezing rain has brought icy road conditions to Central Texas, forcing road closures and causing crashes. Schools and businesses have also shut down as the region deals with icing and cold temperatures.
The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) began pretreating bridges and overpasses on major Austin roads on Sunday in preparation for the expected icy conditions on Tuesday and Wednesday. Even so, crashes and closures have been reported as roads remain slick.
Officials are warning residents to stay off the roads if they can because of icy conditions. If you must drive, take it slow. If a signal is dark, treat it as a four-way stop.
An interactive map can also be found at kvue.com/traffic.
Here's a look at some of the most notable traffic updates in the Austin area:
Friday
9:45 p.m. - Certain locations for the United States Postal Service will remain closed until the weather conditions improve:
- Balcones Station, located at 12017 Amherst Drive
- McNeil Station, located at 10109 Lake Creek Parkway
- Mockingbird Station, located at 7310 Manchaca Road
- Westlake Station, located at 3903 S Congress Avenue
7:42 a.m. – The Leander Police Department is reporting ice and resulting crashes on the elevated portions of the US 183A toll road.
7:41 a.m. – A crash on MoPac southbound after Far West Boulevard has the right shoulder blocked.
6:42 a.m. – KVUE's Hannah Rucker reports that US 183 northbound is closed near Cedar Park between Oak Knoll and McNeil Drive because of a crash.
Drivers should take care Friday morning, as there are still some icy patches on elevated roads and bridges.
6:40 a.m. – TxDOT Austin reports that major roadways are in pretty good shape Friday morning. Crews continue to treat some icy patches in the Austin area, so motorists are encouraged to drive to conditions.
Thursday
12:30 p.m. – The Round Rock Police Department says all roads have reopened. However, drivers should still use caution on all flyovers connecting Interstate 35 and State Highway 45, Eastbound RM 620 at Chisholm Trail and the Memorial Park low water crossing.
11:20 a.m. – All Hays County parks will be closed Friday and Saturday to allow for cleanup of debris. The public is asked to stay off all trails as there is a danger of falling limbs as well as debris on the ground.
10:33 a.m. – The Round Rock Police Department says the following roads are currently closed:
- All flyovers connecting Interstate 35 and State Highway 45
- Eastbound RM 620 at Chisholm Trail
- Memorial Park low water crossing
8:15 a.m. – All lanes of Westbound State Highway 45 southeast near Turnersville Road are close due to a crash. TxDOT Austin says this will take some time to clear.
TxDOT is still advising against travel, but if you must, slow down and use extreme caution as there are icy patches on the roadways.
8:11 a.m. – The Austin airport is expecting 25,000 passengers to depart Friday. Travelers are advised to arrive early and confirm their flight status prior to heading for the airport.
7:44 a.m. – The Travis County Sheriff's Office says cables – not power lines – are down across Interstate 35 near Wells Branch Parkway. The cables are not a hazard, so drivers can drive over them.
6:50 a.m. – Cedar Park Police say the traffic signal at North Vista Ridge and East Whitestone boulevards is functioning again. However, the signal is out at the East Whitestone Boulevard/Market Street intersection, in addition to the South Lakeline Boulevard/Cypress Creek Road and West Whitestone Boulevard/North Lakeline Boulevard intersections.
6:35 a.m. – Cedar Park Police say they have received reports that the lights are completely out at the South Lakeline Boulevard/Cypress Creek Road and West Whitestone Boulevard/North Lakeline Boulevard intersections.
Commuters should drive with caution and treat those intersections as four-way stops.
5 a.m. – Cedar Park Police say that the traffic signal is out at North Vista Ridge and East Whitestone boulevards. Drivers should treat that intersection as a four-way stop.
Wednesday
9:30 p.m. – Ice has been reported on MoPac southbound at Braker Lane.
8:44 p.m. – In the 24 hours starting Jan. 31 at 10 a.m., ATCEMS medics responded to a total of 406 incidents.
7:49 p.m. – US 183 southbound lanes at Spicewood Springs Road are closed due to a crash.
7:25 p.m. – A five-vehicle crash has been reported on US 183 southbound at Oak Knoll Drive in northwest Austin, according to Austin-Travis County EMS. The crash involved icing on the roadway.
No one was pinned in the crash as previously reported, and the vehicle rescue portion of the incident has been canceled. The scene was cleared by 7:40 p.m.
7:10 p.m. – The right two lanes are blocked on MoPac southbound before Braker Lane after a crash.
5:20 p.m. – The right lane is blocked on US-183 northbound at Lake Circle Parkway due to an accident.
5:16 p.m. – A roadway obstruction at Inner Loop and FM 971 in Georgetown has forced crews to close that part down with no estimate on reopening at this time. Avoid the area.
4:30 p.m. – The Austin Police Department is reminding drivers if they come across a traffic light that is flashing or not working, treat it as a four-way stop.
4:05 p.m. – All lanes of Interstate 35 at Grand Avenue Parkway have reopened. TxDOT says it is still a good idea to avoid travel Wednesday evening.
3:43 p.m. – Interstate 35 at Grand Avenue Parkway is closed in both directions, including main lanes and frontage roads, due to downed power lines. TxDOT is asking drivers to avoid this area.
1:22 p.m. – KVUE's Natalie Haddad reports that ice-heavy trees are slouching over roads in the neighborhoods off of O'Conner Drive, Jilbur Drive, Jackal Drive and surrounding streets in Round Rock. Some neighbors said they have trees on their homes and cars.
12:40 p.m. – Austin Police are on the scene of downed power lines in the 1800 block of North Capital of Texas Highway. All lanes are shutdown in both directions.
12:17 p.m. – An incident of a rollover traffic collision involving power lines across both north and southbound Texas Loop 360 has been cleared. Traffic delays are expected.
11:57 a.m. – KVUE's Natalie Haddad reports uprooted cables causing power lines to hang love over Highway 45 near West Parmer Lane.
11:46 a.m. – Austin-Travis County EMS medics and Westlake Fire Department crews are responding to a rollover traffic collision involving power lines across both north and southbound Texas Loop 360 (Capital of Texas Highway/Westlake).
11:44 a.m. – KVUE's Natalie Haddad reports that branches heavily waited by ice are slouched over streets off of US 183 on Crest Ridge Circle, Balcones Drive and streets surrounding the Balcones Country Club in the Cedar Park/Jollyville area.
9:05 a.m. – The Round Rock Police Department says the following roads are closed as of 9 a.m.:
- all flyovers connecting I-35 to SH 45
- SH 45 westbound exit for Greenlawn
- SH 45 eastbound exit for La Frontera
- Northbound I-35 exit for RM 620
- Eastbound RM 620 at Chisholm Trail
- Memorial Park low water crossing
8:45 a.m. – Austin-Travis County EMS has stated that falling trees and power lines have created an increase in call volume for first responders. They've stated that the safest place to be when this occurs is indoors.
8:15 a.m. – Downed trees have been reported in an Austin neighborhood, Cuernavaca.
7:40 a.m. – KVUE's Tony Plohetski provides an update into why there are so many power outages throughout the city: ice accumulating on tree branches, causing the branches to break off and fall on things below them.
7:33 a.m. – The Austin airport is reporting no ice accumulations on the airfield, but crews are continuing to treat ice on roadways and walkways.
7:32 a.m. – The Austin Fire Department is focusing on the ice that has been accumulating on power lines. AFD has received 76 calls of wires arching since 3 a.m. They are advising residents to not call 911 for general flashes of light in your neighborhood, but to call for wires that have fallen.
6:48 a.m. – Austin-Bergstrom International Airport has a reported total of 202 flight cancelations and 12 delays.
6:31 a.m. – A collision on MoPac northbound after 45th Street has resulted in the right lane and shoulder blocked. Icy conditions are believed to be on the road.
6 a.m. – Lago Vista Police are reporting ice on all bridges in both directions of Farm-to-Market 1431. They are advising residents to travel with caution as there have already been several collisions reported.
5:30 a.m. – TxDOT's Austin office is reporting icy conditions all across the roads in the City. Crews will continue to de-ice the roads "around the clock to keep roadways open for essential workers and emergency responders."
4:53 a.m. – Ice reported on TX-71 eastbound at Tahaitian Drive in Bastrop.
4:35 a.m. – Roads are being treated near the airport and the exit ramp to the Blue Parking Garage is still closed due to icing.
Tuesday
9:15 p.m. – Ice has been reported on TX-45 toll westbound at US-183.
8:55 p.m. – An accident on TX-130 toll southbound between Patriot way and CR 105 has been cleared.
8:15 p.m. – An accident on TX-130 toll northbound between FM 812/exit 453 and TX-71/exit 449 has been cleared.
7:50 p.m. – An accident has been reported on Research Boulevard northbound at North Lamar Boulevard.
6:54 p.m. – TX-130 toll northbound between FM 812/exit 453 and TX-71/exit 449 is closed due to an accident.
6:30 p.m. – TX-183A northbound and southbound between South Lakeline Boulevard and US-183/CR-276 is closed due to ice.
5:47 p.m. – The Austin Police Department said it responded to 215 collision calls on Tuesday. It is reminding motorists to drive to conditions.
5:25 p.m. – The exit ramp to Hwy 45 is closed due to ice on I-35 northbound near FM 1327/exit 223.
5:20 p.m. – The Hwy 183 exit ramp has reopened on US 290 westbound.
5:07 p.m. – Southbound at SH 130 and Patriot Way is shut down due to an accident, the Georgetown Police Department said.
3:35 p.m. – Icy conditions have the exit to northbound Hwy 183 closed on US 290 westbound.
3:30 p.m. – US 290 westbound between Parmer Lane and Giles Lane is closed due to ice.
3:15 p.m. – Highway 45 westbound between Turnersville Road and I-35 in Buda has reopened.
Meanwhile, TX-130 toll northbound between FM 812/exit 453 and TX 71/exit 449 has closed due to ice.
3:05 p.m. – An accident was reported on FM 685 south of Pflugerville Parkway. It was cleared by 3:30 p.m.
2:41 p.m. – With increasing icy conditions and crashes, the southbound lanes of Ronald Reagan Boulevard from RM 2243 to south of the bridge have been closed, the Leander Police Department said.
The northbound lanes in the same area have been reduced to one lane at the bridge. Traffic lights at Ronald Reagan Boulevard and RM 2243 have been placed on flashing red.
2:40 p.m. – US 290 eastbound between Giles Lane and TX 130 toll/TX 45 toll is closed due to ice.
Meanwhile, Icy conditions have improved and the road has reopened on MoPac northbound between Convict Hill Road and Southwest Parkway.
2:36 p.m. – Austin-Travis County EMS said in the 24 hours starting on Monday at 10 a.m., medics responded to 72 collisions, 11 falls due to ice, 10 environmental exposures and one carbon monoxide exposure. ATCEMS responded to a total of 345 incidents on Monday.
1:55 p.m. – Highway 45 eastbound at I-35 and Turnersville Road in Austin is closed due to ice.
1:50 p.m. – Highway 45 westbound between Turnersville Road and I-35 in Buda is closed due to ice.
1:43 p.m. – Cedar Park Police are reminding drivers that the 183A Toll Road is still shut down. Motorists should not drive around the barricades.
12:20 p.m. – The Austin airport says it saw 48 cancelled arrivals and 39 cancelled departures on Monday. As of 12:20 p.m. Tuesday, there have been seven delayed arrivals longer than an hour (three were from between 2 a.m. and 3 a.m.) and nine delayed departures longer than an hour.
Between midnight and 11 a.m. Tuesday, there were 29 cancelled arrivals and 40 cancelled departures.
12:05 p.m. – Leander police officers are working a crash in 1700 block of Ronald Reagan.
11:12 a.m. – A crash on northbound MoPac after RM 2222 has the right lane/shoulder blocked.
11:07 a.m. – Austin Police say officers have been investigating 32 collisions since approximately 5:40 a.m. Tuesday. The department responded to several crashes overnight.
11 a.m. – KVUE's Tony Plohetski has confirmed that as of 11 a.m., one person was killed in a 10-car pileup on Ben White Boulevard, a Travis County Sheriff's Office deputy was injured in an 18-wheeler pileup on SH 130, ATCEMS medics are responding to multiple slip and fall calls and officials are urging people to stay off the road.
An image from the crash on 130 at SH 71 can be viewed below:
10:58 a.m. – Round Rock Police have released an update on the roads closed within the City. The road closures are the following:
10:51 a.m. – TxDPS told KVUE's Natalie Haddad that a Travis County deputy had been transported to a medical facility after a collision involving an 18-wheeler on Highway 130. Preliminary information states that the deputy was pinned in his car and has sustained injuries.
A release from Travis County Sheriff's Office (TSCO) revealed more information about the incident involving a deputy. According to the release, the deputy was helping a driver of an 18 wheeler when another 18-wheeler slid on the icy roads hitting the deputy.
He was pinned under on of its tractor tires in the 3900 block of SH 130 northbound around 8:46 a.m.
TSCO, DPS, AFD and ATCEMS freed the deputy at 9:36 a.m. and he was taken to a nearby hospital. The release went on to say that the deputy "is currently in surgery and is expected to survive his injuries."
Sheriff Sally Hernandez released this statement:
“I want to offer my heartfelt gratitude to everyone who responded and assisted this deputy in his time of dire need. Both his biological and TCSO family are relieved and thankful that he’s alive. Please, please don’t drive on these icy roadways. It’s not worth your life or the lives of the first responders who are literally putting their personal safety on the line.”
TSCO has not released the name of the deputy at this time.
9:30 a.m. – Mopac has been closed in both directions at RM 2222.
9:04 a.m. – Capital Metro has suspended pick-up in Manor and Lago Vista and on Route 214 due to "deteriorating conditions on the roadways." Customers are advised to sign-up for Metro Alerts to stay up-to-date on further closures.
9:02 a.m. – According to the Round Rock Police Department, all elevated roadways are still slippery in the area. The northbound Interstate 35 exit to Round Rock Avenue has been closed due to a multiple vehicle collision.
7:35 a.m. – Parmer Lane is closed in both directions at Amberglen.
6:09 a.m. – A crash on Westbound 71 Toll Road at Farm-to-Market 973 has resulted in all lanes being blocked.
5:53 a.m. – Lago Vista Police are reporting all bridges and elevated roadways are iced over. They are advising residents to stay off the roads unless it is an absolute emergency.
5:46 a.m. – The Cedar Park Police Department is reporting that due to increased icing, the 183A Toll Road has been shut down in both directions.
4:37 a.m. – Both the Austin Fire Department (AFD) and Austin-Travis County EMS have reported icing along elevated roadways. AFD has stated that specifically Interstate 35 and the State Highway 45 flyover in southwest Austin have significant icing.
Monday
10:44 p.m. – Austin-Travis County EMS is reporting icing at US 290 eastbound and MoPac northbound.
10:24 p.m. – Four vehicles were involved in a crash on a flyover from eastbound Ben White Boulevard to northbound Interstate 35. No one was injured.
The Austin Fire Department said the ramp is iced over and is now shut down. TxDOT crews were on their way to de-ice the road.
9:18 p.m. – Bridges and overpasses on the 183A toll road have begun to ice over, causing two crashes so far, the Cedar Park Police Department said.
9:15 p.m. – The flyovers from northbound and southbound SH 130 and eastbound and westbound SH 45 are closed until further notice due to ice, the Pflugerville Police Department said.