WACO, Texas (KXXV) — Drivers in Waco spent the day battling detours and frustration as a major stretch of I-35 shut down for a flyover bridge demolition along one of Texas' busiest highways.
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Residents say traffic congestion quickly spilled beyond I-35 and onto city streets.
Angela Gutierrez, a Lacy Lakeview neighbor, said.
"It's ridiculous. It's just ridiculous… It takes me 20 minutes just to get into town and it's horrible."
Waco neighbor Rocio Robles said the backup created confusion at intersections throughout the city.
"I had to go like 3 times on the circle figuring out what's going on… all this traffic's in the way, nobody's going right… it's just a mess. I'm upset."
Drivers say it's not just the shutdown itself that's frustrating — it's the domino effect it has caused.
Waco neighbor Jose Fajardo said.
"It's frustrating because that's my route to go to work… I have to go around like half a mile or three-quarters of a mile… just to get where I'm at."
Others say they understand the need for the construction but question whether it could have been handled better.
"They had been talking about it for a couple of years… and to finally do it out of the blue, I think it's causing a lot of problems… They gotta do better," Waco neighbor Eddie Law said.
Most crossings are expected to open in the early morning hours on Sunday. A full list of suggested detours is available here.
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