Mail Bag: Accommodations around Harlan High School

Those living on the far northwest side will see another new high school opened by Northside ISD next week. It's the third such school to open in the last decade by the state's fourth-largest school district - another indication of the rapid growth in the area.

Image from Northside ISD

When Harlan High School opens traffic volumes will certainly surge and some new elements will be introduced. We actually sat down with folks from NISD, Harland High School and Bexar County last month to discuss a host of issues we are already expecting. With that meeting in mind - and the below question - let's discuss what you can expect.

Will you be adding a light or crosswalk on West FM 471 in front of the new Harlan High School opening this year? I've already seen many children running back and forth across this street that is filled with large trucks from the quarry down the street.
- Christine

The big picture
The first thing - and most important thing - we want people to know is we have a traffic signal study planned at the intersection of FM 471 and Cheyenne Pass in September to determine the actual, data-driven need for a signal at this location to accommodate both traffic coming out of the subdivision and the pedestrian traffic you've already started to observe. You can read more about how that warrant study works in a previous post we had about how we determine when and where to install traffic signals.
Right now we actually do not want anyone crossing FM 471 near Harlan High School - we do not have any pedestrian protections and crossing FM 471 at this location is extremely dangerous. Northside ISD will provide buses for students in that community to cut down the potential of kids trying to dart across in front of the heavy trucks cruising through there. We are installing signs to discourage the practice and will rely on law enforcement to keep kids from ignoring these signs.
To recap, here is what we are doing (and what we are not doing):

• We are conducting a traffic signal and pedestrian study in September, once traffic around the school normalizes
• We are working with Northside ISD to post signs prohibiting pedestrian traffic along FM 471 near Harland High School
• We are posting signs with flashing yellow beacons on FM 471 around the high school to encourage drivers to slow down
• We are not ignoring the issue or unaware
• We are not taking the issue lightly, and are thus working closely with school administration and county staff to ensure we're seeing things from all angles

Future pedestrian accommodations
When the county's work on FM 471 is finished (it extends to Old FM 471 - just shy Harlan High School) bike lanes and sidewalks will help pedestrian students get almost all the way to campus. We already have a project on the books to address the issue further and will continue what the county is doing for us all the way out to the Bexar-Medina county line. That project is scheduled to get going in 2021, but we are looking at options to accelerate that plan.

We need traffic signals

As we said before we have a process to determine when and where to install signals. This process is pretty well set in stone and we can't deviate from it. If we do find a location warranting a signal we will begin the process to make that happen. In case people are wondering a typical signalized intersection comes with a $250K price tag. That doesn't keep us from putting in a signal where it's warranted, but it does mean we take greater care to ensure actual need. We've also found installing signals where they're not actually warranted creates congestion and safety problems we want to avoid.
As for the pedestrian need, those warrant standards actually tell us to construct a pedestrian bridge and exercise every other available option before installing a signal to manage a crosswalk. We are following that directive by working with the school district to ensure kids don't have the need to walk across the busy road.

The big takeaway
If you're a resident of the area and do not have a student at Harlan, please realize students will be coming and going from about 6:30 a.m. until after 6 p.m. Extracurricular activities run both before and after normal school hours. It also means you'll be driving through two high school areas on your way to Loop 1604 with Taft High School just down the road. That first two weeks is going to be rough - but not just for you. It's going to be rough for everyone across the county, with hundreds of thousands of kiddos headed to school after being off the last three months.
We know of the need to take a look at the area around Harlan High School, and we're doing just that. We are working with the county and the school district to identify and address issues. We know there are many who may observe some issues and write in or call in - we hope these folks will get this message and know we are already working on solutions. (In fact ... we would ask you to post this to your community's Facebook page or NextDoor thread to ensure the word gets around.) Until the traffic situation normalizes we cannot predict exactly how traffic will behave, and we need to know exactly what we are dealing with to really make the right things happen.

That first week or two, though ... well, traffic patterns should be interesting. We hope residents in the area will realize everyone is working to figure out exactly what route will be best for their family and what happens through the first week of September is certainly not indicative of what you'll see through the duration of the school year.
The bottom line: we are all going to struggle together to figure out the new traffic patterns that come with school. After those first two weeks we will look at the situation around this new school (and others) and determine what, if anything, can be done to address any outstanding issues.
Between now and then, be safe and drive smart! And don't try passing any school buses!

Mail Bag: Potranco Road traffic, city and county projects, I-10

Could you tell me how many cars drive down Potranco Road daily? I mostly interested in the part of Potranco behind Redbird Ranch. Thank you!
-Kristi
Kristi, you're asking a question we typically get via phone. It's a great question! And, to help you really get the info you're wanting, I'll give you source material.

We have, posted online, a five-year record of our traffic counts. This will allow you to see what that segment of Potranco has been doing for five years, giving you an idea of what to expect in the future. (We don't house more than five years online for two reasons: first, records retention requires five years posted like this; second, we already host tens of thousands of pages of data online, and capping info at five years helps us minimize our IT expense.)

That said, it's worth noting there's a trick to using the data we've got posted.

When will UTEX from UTSA Blvd and the I-10 access road be completed? 
-Tim
This question is really a question for the city of San Antonio - UTEX is a city roadway. That said, the work there may be more associated with private development than with city work. That's a question to ask the folks with the city's TCI group when you visit with them.

I see construction on 471 is to begin 8-15. Is there a map of the project and what's being done, and for how long? Also, what is the plan for connecting 151/Alamo Ranch/211? and when does that start?Thanks.
- Michael
You've got a few different questions going on here, Michael. So, one at a time.
First, the Culebra Road work (FM 471) that started this week is being handled entirely by Bexar County. They've got our logo up on the project sign boards because we approved the design and, when the county is done with the project, we'll buy it back from them. It's a funding option that gets projects delivered through local participation called pass-through financing, but we digress (to be clear, this application of pass-through financing does not involve tolls). Bottom line: the county has a project information page available here, and if you've got questions at all they can be reached here.
The county also has some information about the extension of Alamo Ranch Parkway on that same info page. The biggest thing to note is ARP is being developed by private developers as they continue to build up the area and add homes (and shopping options). This is not being built by your tax dollars. Though, when developers finish, they turn it over for public maintenance. Because it's being built by private folks, though, we don't have an exact timeline on when to expect ARP to reach Hwy 211.
Oh, yeah, and Hwy 211 needs to be extended so ARP can actually connect with it. That $24 million effort is also being done by Bexar County and isn't slated to start until next year, provided all the funds match up next year.

What will happen to the (I-10) access roads from Ralph Fair Road toward 46 going west? Will they switch to one way? Will they remain two way? Right now they are still working on them. Will they widen them eventually?
What will happen at Old Fredericksburg Road coming toward the access road from Village Green and Fallbrook? Will there eventually be and underpass or overpass? I have heard both stories. Will they improve the Fair Oaks Bridge across 10. It's shaky!
- Mike
So back in March we started work on a project between Ralph Fair Road and Fair Oaks Parkway. Basically we're converting the frontage roads to one-way (which requires some widening for shoulders, curbs and sidewalks) and adding an overpass on I-10 at Old Fred Road - it'll take I-10 over a new intersection that connects Old Fred with Buckskin Drive.
We're also reconstructing the bridge at Fair Oaks and I-10, basically expanding it a la Ralph Fair. That project starts here in the fall and will wrap up in 2018.
What about beyond Fair Oaks Parkway? Well, eventually we will have one-way frontage road. Our goal is to eliminate one-way frontage roads wherever we've got a developed, metro area. We're not quite ready to do that - we need more money first - but it is on the agenda. Once we're nearing that work beyond Fair Oaks Parkway, we'll host a series of open house discussions to show y'all what we've got.

Concerning the work activity at hwy 46 and hwy 281: There needs to be a sign informing east bound Hwy 46 traffic that two lanes will merge to one. The existing one was removed for construction and has not been replaced.
Thank you for addressing this matter. It will require a follow-up with the poorly performing contractor that is presently on site. With out this sign there will be a collision and a fair amount of road rage played out.
-Tom
I'll start with the really good news: we've only got a few really light items left to have this job finished (finally) and it looks like we should wrap up this month. We're seeing CRG on the site daily (with the exception of Monday, due to weather) and we're seeing good progress. Rest assured they'll be held very accountable for dragging this project out the way they have, but we're looking at a finish in a matter of days.
As for the sign? We checked the plan sheets and no such sign is called for in the plans. That said, we've made our maintenance guys and our operations guys aware of the issue so we can have it addressed as appropriately and quickly as possible.

Project delivery season

It's that time of year - weather is just right to lay asphalt and a lot of projects are either wrapping up or getting ready to deliver certain elements to improve your commute. Here's a run-down of what you're getting from us over the next few weeks:

I-10 frontage road between Dominion and Boerne Stage

A small connector - no more than about 200 feet long - connecting traffic along the westbound frontage road of I-10 from Dominion Drive to the new westbound frontage road running behind Fralos, Leon Springs Elementary School and the Leon Springs dance hall opened today. Texas Sterling Construction is still working on a westbound on-ramp that runs parallel to this new connector; that ramp should open in June.

Loop 1604 between Bandera and Culebra roads

A ceremony to open new northbound main lanes is planned for Thursday morning, marking the substantial completion of this effort to extend the Lp 1604 expressway through Culebra Road (southbound lanes opened in April). New overpasses at Braun, New Guilbeau and Shaenfield will help improve the daily commute for these drivers dramatically. 

I-35 between AT&T Center Parkway and George Beach

New ramps near Binz-Engleman are set to open late this week, and overall project completion is set to come by July Fourth. This project reconfigured - slightly - entrance ramps and exit ramps while adding an extra lane (an auxiliary lane) to the main lanes of I-35 as they go over Leon Creek. This work is in the finishing stages and these crews will move on to hit hard the significant work between George Beach and Randolph Boulevard.

Culebra Road

With warm temps, overnight paving crews are working hard to finish what they started last year. The new concrete medians are in place and complete. All that's left for the TxDOT project is that final inch or so of asphalt to give everyone a smooth ride. The city's project on Tezel Road is ongoing.

Walnut Avenue (New Braunfels)

This one is going to be a boon for the tourist season - just in time for the summer season, we'll have at least one lane open in each direction between Kerlick and Landa. That'll happen by the end of this month if weather holds up for us. Overall project completion, which includes two lanes in each direction, should come by the end of June.

Mail Bag: Questions on city and county projects, work on northwest side

What are the plans and ETA of the Potranco Road expansion and connecting of Hwy 211?
- Noel (via Twitter)
Great question, Noel. The Potranco Road expansion between Lp 1604 and Hwy 211 is being done as a pass-through project and is overseen (actually, pretty much completely managed) by Bexar County Public Works. According to their project page the project just got going and will wrap up the end of 2018.
As for details on the project as it continues ... those questions should go to Bexar County. When the project is finished, TxDOT will maintain responsibility for upkeep.

Can you give us an update on the Tezel/Grissom construction?
- Jeremy (via Twitter)
If you're asking about the work Tezel Road, that's a city project and they have updates posted on their Web site. If you're asking about the work on Culebra Road ... well, that's ours.
On the Culebra project our crews are laying the final surface of asphalt. We're all done with the curbs and medians (and have been since around Christmas), and as long as we get some dry weather we could be done in as little as three weeks of solid work.

Yesterday on Blanco & Midnight Drive there was a long progression of traffic cones (3' high ones) that seems to stretch for miles north (didn't confirm but it was definitely more than a mile. I don't see any scheduled construction on your blog. Can you shed any light on this?
- Shawn (via Blog)
We got a few calls on this one, and we're still scrambling to find a clear answer. We checked with Bexar County, who maintains this segment of Blanco Road, and they don't have work at that location. That leaves possible suspects as utilities companies like CPS Energy and SAWS.
One thing we do know is the project isn't a TxDOT project - last year the state handed over control of Blanco Road north of Wilderness Oak to Bexar County Public Works.

Are there any plans for (FM 471 or FM 1560) or a signal on FM 471 at Stillwater Ranch?
- Pete (via Twitter)
The short answer: YES.
Longer answer ... well, we're working with the county on several options. For FM 471, we have plans that are more impending. That work will be done as a pass-through project (just as Potranco Road is being done) and Bexar County will manage that work. That expansion is a $16.8 million project set to start later this year and wrap up (most likely) early 2018. It'll expand FM 471 to match what's there by Taft High School and extend from FM 1560 almost to Talley Road. More info is here.
As for FM 1560, we're working on an expansion project to run from Galm to FM 471. A firm timeline isn't ready yet, but it'll expand FM 1560 to two lanes with a center left-turn lane. We also know there's a need for expansion between Galm/Shaenfield and Bandera Road, so we're looking at that. The biggest challenge for that will be right-of-way acquisition (which hasn't yet begun).

Once the new overhead connector between 1604 and 151 eastbound is complete, will cars using it be able to exit at Wiseman or will the first available exit be beyond that point?
- Bob (via blog)
In short, you'll use the next exit (Westover Hills) and turn around to get to Wiseman from Alamo Ranch Parkway. Because pictures are worth a thousand words, here's a look (it helps to click on the image and make it bigger):

So excited about the highway opening! Wondering if you know anything at all about what the process looks like for getting the addresses changed to 1604 now that it's complete. Thanks!
- Jamye (via blog)
We actually don't know the process - it's odd. We made several calls to the folks in our department and the overwhelming consensus was to work through your local Postmaster General. There is an interesting blog post on the topic, though.

Have surveys been done to figure out why the (morning) rush hour traffic eastbound I-10 from Fair Oaks Ranch Parkway to around Camp Bullis, and the (evening) rush hour traffic on the westbound side anywhere from UTSA Blvd to La Cantera through Camp Bullis is as terrible as it is? ...What is being done to alleviate that traffic?
- Gerard (via blog)
If you're asking if we've been conducting traffic studies along that corridor, the answer is yes. To put a not-too-fine point on the issue, the real cause here is a rapid increase in development and population along the I-10 corridor.
We've got an active project converting frontage roads between Dominion Drive and Boerne Stage Road, which includes some ramp rearrangements that will help traffic flow once the project is done later this summer.
But that's probably not going to fix everything you're talking about - which involves pinch points at Loop 1604 and at Camp Bullis. One fix that's coming for that is an expansion of I-10 between La Cantera Parkway and Ralph Fair Road. That's coming next year, if all goes well. As for improving the interchange at Loop 1604 ... well, we're working on that one.

Culebra Road medians - all the info you need

The medians on Culebra Road have caused many to question about the motive behind their installation. It's a topic we've posted on before - twice - and we won't delve further into the whys behind the whats today.

We will discuss some specifics folks have asked about, though. Of particular note is some scheduled work for this weekend resulting in closures Saturday folks really should pay attention to. We've also got some changes to the project brought because of the voice of folks who've called in to provide input.

This weekend's work
One major component to this project is a final overlay - a new surface of asphalt on top of the existing road surface. It's the last bit of work needed before the project is complete. The challenge with that is the time of year we are entering into; asphalt has some significant temperature requirements, and we cannot lay hot asphalt in cooler temperatures.
However, we want very much to finish this project quickly- very quickly. Once the project is complete we will turn over Culebra Road (between Loop 1604 and the Culebra-Grissom-Tezel intersection) to the city of San Antonio for city ownership and maintenance.
Here's what to expect: Beginning 6 a.m. Saturday crews will close alternating lanes - one lane in each direction - to lay asphalt. Traffic will be limited to a single lane in each direction. We expect crews to wrap up what they're doing by 6 p.m. Saturday.
Through the week we will continue to restrict work like this to the hours of 9 p.m. until 5 a.m.
Please note inclement weather can stop the work we've got planned, and if our inspectors observe significant impact on the traffic we will wrap up the work and push for overnight work. That said, the whole reason for this is to avoid overnight-only work and speed this project along. Remember asphalt cannot be placed in cooler temperatures and overnight temps this time of the year frequently dip below our tolerance levels.

Changes in the works
For several weeks we have fielded multiple calls each day, as have city staff, with folks asking or offering concerns about the raised medians being put into place. Again, this is all input we would have more easily incorporated had we been able to record this feedback during our open house meeting held in 2014. (Take-away message here: attend those meetings! We really do incorporate the ideas shared at those meetings!)
However we have made two major changes to the project. These changes are being constructed right now.
At the intersection of Culebra-Tezel-Grissom, we are extending the left-turn storage bay for traffic from Grissom onto Culebra. The additional space (about 65 feet) will be taken from the storage space given to folks turning left into the HEB lot.
At the intersection of Culebra and Selene we will remove a narrow portion of median to allow access for The Water Works and Family Dollar businesses, relieving some of the cross-access pressure there. All that's being removed here is the thin section of raised median, and we're clearing it out to the wider portion. The result will be a gap of about 419 feet opened up at this location.
Finally, we are adding a yellow center stripe along the base of the curb - not something we typically do, but something that's been requested. This will reduce lane widths by about six inches, so drivers should be aware. Previous lane widths were equivalent to what was out there before the medians were installed.

Shared access
The key to mobility along any corridor featuring raised median is a concept called shared access. The term has a number of meanings, but for our purposes it speaks to the ability of a motorist to reach several destinations through a single parking lot driveway access point. One very good example of this is at the southeast corner of Tezel-Grissom-Culebra. Several businesses - including CVS, Taco Bell, Jiffy Lube, Just Brakes, Auto Zone and Jeff Speakman's Kenpo - can be accessed from the same driveway cut. Folks on Grissom Road wanting to reach Grissom or Taco Bell, for instance, can turn into this shared-access grouping at Auto Zone or at Jeff Speakman's Kenpo and use the driving area behind these businesses to safely and conveniently reach their destination.
This shared access is a major consideration when we think of how and where to place a median across the region and the state. It's a common practice nation-wide, actually. As local patrons learn the shared access points of their favorite establishments the traffic issues we've heard about will begin to ease up.

Weather....
In the event of the onset of colder weather, we may button things up, put the project on pause and finish up in the spring. If this happens you'll see the orange signs and some orange barrels or cones, but no work will take place. This will only be done if we can't get the asphalt down in time, but those in the area should be aware of the possibility. 

Culebra Road and I-35/I-37 interchange: big questions and concerns

We currently have two ongoing projects garnering attention from those moving through their areas for their restriction of movements folks have long become accustomed to.

Culebra Road

Along Culebra Road a raised center median has appeared between Loop 1604 and Grissom Road. This raised median is classified as a safety project, but it will result in a better flow of traffic as well. The median restricts left-turn movements to cross-street areas to eliminate what traffic engineers refer to as conflict points. These conflicts are created any time you have two cars competing for the same space of roadway; increased conflict points means increased risk of collisions.

Our goal here, as we mentioned when we took this to our public meetings last year, was to provide improved safety while taking a balanced approach accounting for existing access along this corridor.

Folks will find continued access to their favorite taco stand, gas station or other business is maintained by what's called "cross access"; these businesses share access to a cross street via a mutual parking lot with another business. This cross access was a major factor determining the location of cuts in the median when this project was in the design phases and when we discussed these at our public meetings.

Work is nearly complete - the medians will finish this month, in fact, and you'll see a fresh asphalt surface over the following weeks.

Interchange of I-35 and I-37/US 281

The downtown interchange of I-35 and US 281 (or I-37), particularly on the northbound side of I-35 here, sees a frustratingly high number of drivers cutting in and out trying to navigate from the upper-lower level split to the appropriate ramp. This project is designed to stop that cutting in and out and put folks on the correct path well in advance. From day one, we were pretty open about eliminating the option to reach I-37 or US 281 from the lower-level lanes with this job.

Barrels are currently marking the location of a permanent concrete barrier that keeps the upper-level traffic on northbound I-35 headed to the ramps for Broadway and US 281/I-37. Lower-level traffic will continue along northbound I-35 beyond the I-37 interchange.

Construction on this job is simple - we're only building a median barrier. The schematic shows only a hard red line, showing the location of the new barrier. We should be finished with the $2.3 million project in time for the holidays, if all goes well.

Work on this project is mostly overnight; be aware of our crews at night. During the day those barrels are in place to help train drivers on the new configuration - it's a soft "wall" to dull the sting the concrete wall might make if a careless or unknowing driver tries to make that cut-off from the lower level lanes to the ramps to US 281 or I-37 once we're finished.

Mail Bag: Boerne Stage Road, graffiti and Wurzbach Parkway

Note: we've got dozens of questions to get to through the Mail Bag; we'll get them answered in the order in which they are received, and answer as many as we can at one time. Keep checking back if you've submitted a question!
 (There is) Graffiti on the one-way sign on the access road of 1604 heading east between Braun Road and Bandera Road. The sign is in front of the Stonefield Estates subdivision.
- Rachel


To start, we'll let our maintenance guys know (if they've not already addressed this) and make sure they can get it cleaned up. Often we can't clean it and have to simply replace the sign; it's frustrating and really expensive.

Beyond that, "there's an app for that" ... done by the city of San Antonio. It's pretty cool. You see graffiti, you take a picture of it and enter it into the app. Not only will the request for cleanup be sent to the proper agency, but it will help put a stop to the graffiti altogether.


When will the Boerne Stage Road project be completed? Nobody seems to be working on the project. Please advise.
- Holly

The Boerne Stage Road project is a Bexar County project; we don't have the details on the job. However, we do have an active project along I-10 right there, and we've posted an update on that project pretty recently.
If you're asking about the Boerne Stage Road expansion, get in touch with the county - that's your best bet.


Wondering what the plan and purpose is for the current construction on Culebra road at 1604.
It sure is causing some traffic headaches.
- Cody
There are two projects currently impacting traffic at Loop 1604 and Culebra, but the latest project is likely the culprit for your headaches.
The first project, an effort to expand Lp 1604 to an expressway between Bandera and Culebra, impacts traffic coming from Culebra onto northbound Lp 1604 - particularly during the afternoon traffic rush. That work will eventually make everything better for traffic on Culebra by allowing southbound Loop 1604 traffic bypass Culebra (using a Reverse Diamond or Super X ramp configuration).
The newer project adds raised concrete medians to the middle of Culebra Road between Loop 1604 and Grissom Road. This is a safety project, pure and simple, with the goal of removing what are called conflict points along the route and is part of an effort to prepare Culebra Road inside Loop 1604 to be turned over to the city. The plan eliminates a number of left-turn options, except at cross streets and some select other locations, in favor of maintaining a continuous flow of traffic along the route. It's consistent with what's done in a number of locations across the city, including (for instance) Callaghan Road or San Pedro.


Is there a projected date when the Wurzbach Parkway will be completed?
- Ed
Ed, you're one of dozens of folks who've submitted similar messages; your note also betrays just how long we've been sitting on these questions to get this post finished!
If you've not heard by now, here's the good news: the eastbound lanes of Wurzbach Parkway opened yesterday (that's September 15) at about 3:50 p.m. There's a ton of great news coverage out there on it; check here, here, here or here. Or here. And there's this one, run before opening.
We also broadcasted the opening of the new eastbound lanes via live video feed, which went over Twitter through Periscope (and if you don't have a clue what those are, well ... neither did we until a few months ago).
The bottom line: eastbound lanes are now open. Westbound lanes are targeted to open Sept. 23. We still have work on US 281, with the new northbound exit to Wurzbach Parkway and the turnarounds at Nakoma - which should all be finished by early October.

I-10 at La Cantera is a mess Saturday mornings because of the heavy traffic heading into Fiesta Texas around opening time. Is there anything that can be done to alleviate it now and the future? I know it's only during summer peaks tone but it makes it impossible to travel westbound on I-10 from 9 a.m.-noon.
- Christina
Christina, we're sorry for not responding to this one sooner - this note was sent well before the end of summer as the end-of-summer crowds were flooding the area for a last chance at some fun at one of our local amusement parks.
We actually already do take some huge precautions to help the situation at the intersection of I-10 and La Cantera, including the use of police officers (SAPD) to direct traffic at the intersection. Unfortunately, the backup stems not from the intersection or the ramps in the area, but from the bottleneck that's at the gates to the park. No matter what we do, traffic will only move as fast as folks can pay for their parking permits.
But know that we're always looking at the issue. We've tried some interesting stuff in the past, including routing traffic (as much as we can) to Camp Bullis to stack up the traffic queue for that amusement park along the eastbound frontage road.
It helps, but as you've noted the solution we've got isn't perfect. The good news is you can typically get around the snarl by using Loop 1604 to Vance Jackson, heading north through The Rim, then rejoining I-10 near Home Depot.