I-35 NEX Central Is 62% Done — Here's What That Means If You're Buying a Home Along the Corridor

If you drive I-35 between Loop 410 North and FM 3009, you already know the construction. You've sat in it. You've rerouted around it. But as of October 2025, the $1.5 billion I-35 NEX Central project is 62% complete, and that number matters beyond the commute. It matters for where you choose to buy, what you're willing to pay, and how quickly a neighborhood might shift once the dust settles.

The project is adding three elevated lanes in each direction along that corridor, which currently handles more than 200,000 vehicles every day. When work wraps up in late 2027, the expected travel time savings are significant — a 41% to 48% reduction from FM 3009 down to the Frost Bank Center in downtown San Antonio. That's not a marginal improvement. For someone commuting from Schertz, Selma, or New Braunfels into the city every morning, that kind of time savings changes the math on where home can realistically be.

For buyers, the strategic question right now is timing. The corridor runs through and adjacent to some of the most active real estate markets in the greater San Antonio area — including Schertz, Cibolo, and the sections of far north San Antonio near Stone Oak and the 78154 and 78108 ZIP codes. Communities along this stretch have drawn buyers for years because of the relative affordability compared to closer-in neighborhoods, the Schertz-Cibolo-Universal City ISD schools, and easy access to Randolph Air Force Base. The improved highway will only strengthen those draws.

Here's the honest reality for buyers right now: you're purchasing during the messiest phase. Construction noise, lane closures, and unpredictable travel times are still part of daily life along this route. If you're buying a home in Schertz or Cibolo today, you need to go in with eyes open about that. Drive the route at different times of day before you make an offer. Talk to neighbors. Understand what the next two years will actually feel like.

That said, buying before a major infrastructure project completes has historically been one of the cleaner ways to get ahead of appreciation — not as speculation, but as a practical recognition that access drives value. When travel times drop by nearly half, the communities that feel remote today feel connected tomorrow. Demand tends to follow.

For sellers in the corridor, the project is a legitimate selling point, but it requires honest framing. A home in Selma or along the FM 3009 area is still a work in progress from an infrastructure standpoint. Buyers will ask about construction timelines and current traffic conditions. Being upfront about the disruption while clearly communicating the long-term benefit — a projected completion in late 2027 and dramatically faster access to downtown — gives buyers the full picture and builds trust.

Renters watching this corridor should pay attention too. As the highway improves, rental demand in these communities is likely to increase. If you're renting in Schertz or north San Antonio today and considering a purchase in the next year or two, you may be looking at a window that closes as the project nears completion and more buyers recognize the opportunity.

For current homeowners along the I-35 NEX Central corridor, this is a good moment to think about your property's long-term position. Homes near major employment centers become more valuable when commute times shrink. The Frost Bank Center is a major downtown landmark and economic anchor. Cutting nearly half the travel time between FM 3009 and that destination expands the realistic buyer pool for your home when the time comes to sell.

One thing worth keeping in mind: at 62% complete, there is still meaningful work ahead. Late 2027 is the current target, and large infrastructure projects can shift. Plan your real estate decisions around your own needs and timeline, not a construction finish date you can't control.

What this project confirms is something San Antonio buyers have understood for a while — the city's growth is continuing to push north and northeast, and the infrastructure is working to catch up. The I-35 NEX Central project is one of the clearest signals of where investment is going and where connectivity is headed.

If you're trying to figure out whether a home in Schertz, Cibolo, Selma, or the FM 3009 area makes sense for your family, we're happy to walk through the full picture with you — the construction reality today and the access story that's coming.