We appreciate your patience and understanding with the construction project at the intersection of Loop 1604 and SH 16 (Bandera Road).
We're talking about the new Displaced Left Turn (DLT) configuration at this very busy intersection, which at last count had an average daily traffic count of approximately 40,000 cars on Bandera and around 120,000 on Loop 1604.
It's a first-of-its-kind intersection for the TxDOT San Antonio District. For some of you who travel between the Alamo City and Austin, you may have already encountered this type of design at I-35 and SH 80/E. Hopkins St. in San Marcos.
Just as a quick reminder, this type of configuration offers drivers traveling up and down Bandera dedicated left-turn lanes (with their own traffic lights) to directly get on Loop 1604 frontage roads. That means that drivers on Bandera not needing to get on Loop 1604 will be able to continue straight through the intersection without having to stop. It also means there will no longer be left turns under the overpass from Bandera to Loop 1604.
Click here for a video simulation of what the DLT traffic flow looks like.
Our plan is to open the DLT over the course of this weekend, April 26-28. Given that some work still needs to be done (particularly syncing more than a dozen new traffic lights with the existing signal system), the intersection will be fully closed starting at 11 p.m. Friday with only right turns allowed in all directions on both roadways.
Crews will work all night long and, depending on the pace of progress, at some point on Saturday the frontage roads on Loop 1604 will be opened up to drivers -- but they will not be able to turn left to Bandera, which will remain closed in both directions (refer to detailed detour maps below).
The goal is to have the intersection fully opened up early Sunday morning, but that will depend on whether any unexpected issues/delays come up.
There will be off-duty police officers at various points all around the intersection helping direct traffic and, for the beginning of the full opening, officers will help guide drivers by leading them through the correct movements.
For a visual explanation of the intersection opening process, click here for a video livestream we conducted with our project staff.
Given the protocol we need to follow in order to have an orderly and safe opening of the new intersection, we are encouraging folks, if at all possible, to avoid the area over the weekend so they don't get stuck in traffic backups.
If you can't avoid it, again, do expect major delays. Here are the detour maps:
