The concrete barriers on I-35 legitimately ruin my drives. I avoid I-35 now when I go to Laredo as I rather spend $10+ on the IH 130 and avoid the mess in San Antonio, specifically around the IKEA where there's always construction and barriers, something about that area just really gets me very anxious. Even when I go to Dallas, I jump into the 130 to avoid I-35 Round Rock/Cedar Park and jump in exiting Georgetown where the I-35 is tolerable. I have ZERO issues driving in there from Laredo to San Antonio or to Dallas but anything between San Antonio-San Marcos-Austin I now avoid.

For context, I started to get driving anxiety in 2022 due to exhaustion (I used to drive a lot of out of town for concerts then come back the same night) but I got citalopram/clonazepam for like 2 months and that allowed me to drive on highways again with no issue, but last year I drove back from San Antonio at night and it started to rain and it kinda had the same effect but those same two meds got me back up within 2 weeks, but now the constant construction and barriers just don't help me at all.

Yesterday I also saw 2 crashes within the same mile around exit 231 lol.

I-35 gives me anxiety even when there is no construction. Don't have to deal with that kind of traffic out here on the South Plains.

I 35 section in the downtown area of Austin has been under some form of constant constructions since 1970. Odds are longer than that but that is my first memory due to my age.

I avoid 35 likes it's the plague. Take 183/281 to DFW, the extra stress free time it takes is well worth it.

Driving North/South in Austin, I now default to 183/MoPac since 183 construction is nearing completion (with 4 lanes).

ned911 said:

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I avoid 35 likes it's the plague. Take 183/281 to DFW, the extra stress free time it takes is well worth it.

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We drive 35 from south of Austin to Metroplex often. For years, there was some stretch always under construction, including Waco, which was torn up for years. They finally finished it all a couple of years ago. Drove to Waco this weekend, and 35 is completely torn up again.

Martin Cash said:

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ned911 said:

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I avoid 35 likes it's the plague. Take 183/281 to DFW, the extra stress free time it takes is well worth it.

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We drive 35 from south of Austin to Metroplex often. For years, there was some stretch always under construction, including Waco, which was torn up for years. They finally finished it all a couple of years ago. Drove to Waco this weekend, and 35 is completely torn up again.

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Many years ago, either just after HS or just before A&M, I had a summer job working for TxDOT. I heard talk then that when Central Expressway (in Dallas) was being built (2-lanes), they already knew that 2 lanes (each direction) was insufficient.

But, that's all the money that had been approved/appropriated. So, they finished the 2 lanes north to approx 635, did nothing for a while, then started planning for expansion.

I hate 35 in Austin especially North Austin. That is not a 75 MPH quality highway.

Between all the big rigs that drive in the left hand lane despite signage not to (no hablo ingles), brodozers riding people's asses, Tesla morons on autopilot, and 80% of drivers actively on their phones, I'm amazed anyone gets through each work day safely.

Then just for fun, you throw in construction zones were signage tells you your lane already ended, and onramps dump you right into traffic with no acceleration buffer lane.

We fly to DFW now. Way easier

I don't ever go on 35. It doesn't exist to me.

Nobody drives on I-35 anymore. It's too crowded.

I drove Austin to Seguin via I-35 recently and noticed that I was flat out exhausted when I arrived.

Before coming back I checked my phone and noticed a wreck in San Marcos, so I came back 123 -> 110 -> 1626 -> 45 SW. I was shocked how much more relaxed I was when I arrived back home.

For some reason Aus-Sa has the craziest damn drivers aa any other freeway I've driven in Texas. And on top of that you never know when or where you hit a jam. I use 130 whenever possible

Why you tryin to California up everything...it's I-35, 130, etc. There is no "the" in front of highway numbers in Texas.