(Correction: A previous version of this story included an incorrect timeline for the...

(Correction: A previous version of this story included an incorrect timeline for the construction of the pedestrian bridge at Woodland. Construction could start as soon as 2029.)

Drivers who used Woodland Avenue to slip under I-35 just south of downtown Austin will never be able to cross the highway there again.

In one of the biggest pain points yet since the historic expansion of I-35 through Central Austin began, thousands of drivers have permanently lost access to an interstate crossing that has been in place for decades.

An even bigger headache will soon come for pedestrians and cyclists. One of two sidewalks under the highway remains open, but eventually, it will close.

The recommended pedestrian detour uphill to Oltorf Street and back down to Woodland is more than a mile long.

“I’m not happy about it. I’m not happy about a lot of things [related to I-35 construction],” said Emily Segel, who has lived nearby for five years and was walking her dog on Wednesday morning.

Pedestrians and cyclists will eventually gain a dedicated 75-foot-wide bridge over the highway at Woodland. Vehicles on Woodland will have to detour to Oltorf Street or Riverside Drive.

The closure of the Woodland Avenue crossing has been a long-expected part of plans to widen the interstate through Travis County.

TxDOT said it chose the design to avoid having to tear down the Aria Grand Apartments, a 70-unit affordable housing complex at Woodland Avenue and I-35 that opened in 2019.

Nearby residents had fought for more than a decade in an attempt to keep the car crossing open.

Tap the link in our bio to read more from Nathan Bernier. Video: @KUTNathan