Austin drivers urged to be careful near construction zones after deadly crash

Drivers urged to be careful near construction zones

Two people were killed over the weekend after crashing into a construction site on I-35 in South Austin. Authorities are urging drivers to be careful near work zones, especially with even more freeway construction set to begin this fall.

AUSTIN, Texas - Two people were killed on Sunday after their car crashed into a construction site in South Austin. As a result, authorities are urging drivers to be careful near work zones, especially with more freeway construction set to begin in downtown Austin this fall.

Police said on Sunday, August 11, the crash happened around 8:30 a.m. on I-35 just south of William Cannon Drive.

"The collision that happened involved a single vehicle that was traveling north on I-35," said Capt. Christa Stedman of Austin-Travis County EMS.

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The car apparently veered into a construction zone, plowing through barricades before slamming into a concrete pillar and bursting into flames.

"We had two adult patients that were in the vehicle. One of them was pinned in the vehicle and was pronounced deceased on the scene. The second patient we did extricate from the vehicle, but also subsequently pronounced them deceased on the scene," said Capt. Christa Stedman of Austin-Travis County EMS.

2 dead in South Austin crash

Two people were killed in a crash on I-35 in South Austin.

In 2023, 190 people were killed in Texas work zones. 77% of those were drivers or passengers in vehicles. Dozens more were road workers.

With even more construction set to ramp up in the months to come, officials are urging drivers to be extra careful, in hopes of preventing another deadly crash.

"It’s important not to just be on autopilot," said Stedman.

The I-35 Capital Express Central Project through downtown is set to begin in October with a rebuild of the MLK Blvd. bridge over I-35. That means driving undistracted, sober and within the speed limit will be more important than ever.

"It's very important to make sure that you're aware of when the speed limit changes in a work zone, you're aware of where the barriers are, and that you're paying attention to when lanes might change, when people in front of you are braking," said TxDOT spokesperson Kellen Mohrmann.

Massive I-35 reconstruction project to begin

The first phase of the massive I-35 reconstruction begins this fall, and for those thinking the Metro Rail trains will help avoid the mess, it's time to re-calculate that route.

FOX 7 Austin asked Mohrmann if she thinks there needs to be better signage around work zones.

"We do have regulations around what signs go where in a work zone, and we pay close attention to where we place our signs to make sure that drivers have enough advance notice of when road conditions are about to change," said Mohrmann.

In the case of this weekend’s crash, there were at least three signs indicating a lane shift ahead of that construction zone, underscoring why it’s so important to keep your eyes on the road.

"Once you've checked your route, put it on your phone and then put your phone away," said Mohrman.