San Antonio highways close due to increased freezing rain, officials say

San Antonio highways close due to increased freezing rain, officials say

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SANTO ANTÓNIO – Update:

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

The closings began at 3 pm on Sunday, and authorities issued a public security alert to alert residents of the closures, which are listed below.

All major SA highways:

  • North and south boundary ranges 281 from loop 410 to 1604

  • IH 10 east and west boundary lanes of Loop 410 to 1604

  • Eastern and western boundary 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 and Basse Rd

  • US 281 at IH 35

  • Wurzbach Parkway

  • Loop 1604 between 281 and I-35 North

Loop 1604 Viaducts / viaducts

  • Loop 1604 West and Hwy 90 W

  • Loop 1604 West and Hwy 151

  • Loop 1604 West and IH 10 West

  • Loop 1604 East and US 281 North

Loop 410 viaducts / viaducts

  • NW Loop 410 and Hwy 151

  • NW Loop 410 and IH 10 West

  • NW Loop 410 and US 281

  • NE Loop 410 and US 281

  • SE Loop 410 and IH 37 South

Downtown loop – upper levels and ramps

  • Upper level of IH 10 West entrance in the center

  • Upper level of IH 35 Northbound and Southbound in the center

  • Loop Downtown

For more information on road closures, click here.

Original:

San Antonio police chief William McManus said the police want to be proactive in closing roads on Sunday night to prevent accidents from building up, as more freezing rain is expected throughout the afternoon and Sunday night.

McManus gave a briefing on road conditions in San Antonio, saying he had “no good news” to share about predicted freezing temperatures.

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

Although McManus said the plan to close sections of the highway “was not definitive”, he said his discussions with the city and TxDOT officials focused on that plan.

“We don’t want the barometer of how safe it is out there … to depend on how many people are starting to fail,” said McManus. “We want to close roads, highways or at least parts of them before we start.”

The police chief reinforced what other public officials have been saying to residents in the midst of that time – don’t drive unless it’s an emergency. The department has already received more than 800 calls for traffic incidents, McManus said, and dispatchers were flooded.

The closures will begin on the north side and continue south as time progresses, McManus said.

Freezing temperatures led to the closure of practically all highway and viaduct nodes. Conditions can get worse with more hail and even snow projected for this afternoon.

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Check current road conditions, closures in the San Antonio area

Earlier on Sunday, police officer Travis Gossett was hospitalized in critical condition after being hit by a car while working in an accident on Highway 281 and Brook Hollow.

“I don’t want to anticipate what the prognosis will be, but he is not doing well,” said McManus. “The main point here is that we need to stay off the road to stay safe.”

The police believe the icy conditions, combined with the lack of speed control, resulted in the tragic incident.

As always, your meteorological authority’s team will keep you updated. You can get the latest forecast at any time by checking our weather page and downloading the KSAT Weather Authority app – available for Apple and Android devices.

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