It's been a while since we've written about the projects active in Comal County ... lots has happened! In addition to a project wrapping up, we've got one project about to start and another nearing completion.
FM 306
So we're finished with the overpasses between I-35 and Hunter Road, improving dramatically the drive from I-35 to the Gruene area (and beyond).
With that project behind us we're ready to get going on the next major project in the area. Hunter Industries, the company that built the overpasses on and widened FM 306 up to Hunter Road, will widen FM 306 to Hoffman Lane. The look and feel of the finished product will match what's there up to Hunter Road. For those not familiar, that means two lanes in each direction with a center left-turn lane where needed.
Work on the new FM 306 project is already starting up, and folks should start seeing crews on site within the next few weeks. The project will wrap up in 2017.
Walnut Ave
Though folks can't really see the progress each day, we're moving along pretty well. One of our two large retaining walls that will hold up the area we're expanding the roadway through the canyon area is nearing completion and the other is about halfway finished.
The toughest part of any road job is getting the drain system put in - most of that is finished. We've got a few items left through the canyon area, but that will be taken care of as the retaining walls near completion.
The big-ticket item is the opening date for Walnut Avenue - that is, when we anticipate reopening the road for through traffic. For that, we are currently on schedule for the end of the year.
Overall project completion is scheduled for summer 2016.
Conrads-Kohlenberg
Those driving the area often have found southbound exit 191 - that is, the southbound exit to FM 306 - closed earlier this month. This will allow Dan Williams Company to wrap up some of the frontage road work closer to FM 306. The new exit will be opened in mid-October.
In the meantime, traffic is using exit 193 (the exit for Conrads-Kohlenberg) to reach FM 306. The detour only adds time spent on the frontage road, and requires no real route change for folks.
The work being done out there is actually about the entrance and exit ramps; we're "reversing" the ramps. That is, where the exit ramp was a new entrance ramp will be; where the entrance ramp was a new exit ramp will be. The idea is to improve traffic flow and allow a bypass for those who would ordinarily have to go through the intersection of FM 306 to reach their destination via the I-35 main lanes.
The project is on target to wrap up later this year.
