Wurzbach and Northwest Military - your chance to be heard

It could be your last chance to provide input on the future of the intersection of Wurzbach Parkway and Northwest Military.

The current plan, based on input from previous open houses hosted by our planning team, is to expand the intersection without building bridges. Challenges with access between the Inverness neighborhood and the Alon Business Center led to scrapping plans with an overpass in favor for an expanded signalized intersection. Traffic engineers estimate morning delays at the intersection improve from 47 seconds to 34 seconds with this solution; evening delay will improve from 77 seconds to 36 seconds, elevating the current level-of-service rating an entire grade.
The current proposal extends all right-turn lanes for added storage space and includes dual left-turn lanes in all directions. The estimated cost as of today is about $7.5 million.
This is all based on current public input. Those yet wishing to be heard may provide their input at our final planned open house tomorrow night. Here's the info:

• Thursday, Dec. 15 between 5 and 7 p.m.
• Barshop Jewish Community Center Auditorium, 12500 NW Military Hwy

The meeting will be an open house format so residents may come and go at their convenience and staff will be available to answer questions.
Construction on the project could start as early as 2020.

Your chance to speak up: Wurzbach at NW Military, Lockhill-Selma

When the Wurzbach Parkway extension finished and the eastern and western halves were connected in 2015 residents near the west end of the extension expressed concerns of traffic volumes through the intersections of Northwest Military, Lockhill-Selma and beyond.
Then-Councilman Ron Nirenberg worked quickly to partner with TxDOT to study options to enhance traffic flow from Northwest Military and I-10.
Some of those options have been determined and we want to talk about them with you. That means this is your chance to let us know what you think. That chance is tonight between 6 and 8 at the Barshop Jewish Community Center Auditorium. Here are the details:

Who:	Anyone and everyone with an interest in how the intersections of Wurzbach Parkway and Northwest Military or Lockhill-Selma turn out
What:	Open house with design engineers and project planners
When:	Wednesday, August 30 between 6 and 8 p.m.
Where:	Barshop Jewish Community Center Auditorium, 12500 NW Military Drive, San Antonio, TX 78231
Why:	Because you really really want to let us know what you think of our plans

Remember the big discussion will be about what we're going to end up doing at these major intersections (including options for an overpass), so you won't want to miss this discussion. Be sure you come out and see us!

Wurzbach Parkway and NW Military ... still developing

We are hearing from some who live near the planned project at the intersection of Wurzbach Parkway and NW Military that the plans presented at our recent forum are concrete regardless of input from the public.
With this in mind we want to review (briefly) what's happening, why we're doing it and where we are in the planning process.
For information on the project (if you're not familiar already), check it out here.


The plan in principle
The main goal of what we're trying to do is get the main lanes of Wurzbach Parkway through Northwest Military Drive and, potentially, Lockhill-Selma (for a later project, perhaps). Once Wurzbach Parkway pushes through Lockhill-Selma it's no longer a parkway and becomes Wurzbach Road, a city facility. Frankly, after that point the road just isn't designed to be a parkway but an arterial. With the heavy development approaching I-10, we simply don't have a lot of options to take the parkway all the way to I-10.


The problem we're solving
When we finished the last segment of Wurzbach Parkway back in 2015 drivers began using the route as an east-west expressway between I-10 and I-35. The problem is the number of traffic signals at the bookends of Wurzbach.
Why the signals? Because, frankly, Wurzbach was not initially intended to be an expressway. When designed in the 1980s it was intended to be a connector route for communities east and west of US Hwy 281. Those first segments were on the bookends (we worked from the outside and went toward the middle) and included traffic signals.
Drivers should know once Wurzbach crosses Lockhill-Selma (on the west) and Weidner (on the east) it's a city street. TxDOT only owns and maintains the portion between those two roads.
Over the years driver demands have changed and we've tried to accommodate those changes. One such accommodation was the increase of speed limits on the Parkway from 45 miles per hour to 60 miles per hour. This increase was done because of the overwhelming demand from drivers in the area.
With traffic moving rather quickly in the middle, we're seeing traffic really bog down once it hits Northwest Military. We think if we can get that higher-speed traffic through that intersection we should see enough of a reduction in traffic volumes approaching Lockhill-Selma and beyond things will be pretty manageable.
This brought the city council office for District 8 in San Antonio to have us sit down and think through some options to promote better traffic flow. We even dedicated about $1 million to studying traffic patterns to figure out where people are trying to go and how we can best help them get there. The work has yielded some interesting results and is still ongoing.


One solution
Again, the goal is to push main lane traffic through the intersection of Northwest Military and allow others to seek alternate routes at the intersection without bogging down the through traffic. One design that will help this along and was presented is a SPUI at the intersection of the Wurzbach exit ramps and Northwest Military. The intersection would favor left- and right-hand turns onto Northwest Military as traffic moves to communities in the area.

This is a new design to San Antonio used fairly effectively elsewhere across the nation - and beyond - as an innovation in traffic configurations. Without trying new things, after all, we'll end up with the same result and continue being bogged down at traditional intersections. Being forward-thinking about the current and future problems of the intersections is what our folks were trying to accomplish.
That said, some have criticized the idea as being overly burdensome for some specific neighborhoods. These have provided feedback, including comments, that will be considered in the final design of the project.


It isn't set in stone
With our road designs, this really popular idiom is, well, literal. Until a project has been constructed with concrete poured and asphalt laid, we typically have at least a little wiggle room. While we're still designing the project we've got a lot of wiggle room.
Though the official comment period is up March 15, we're still open to suggestions. The deadline is set so we have a cut-off point to include comments in our official records of the public hearing process and is designed to keep us compliant with state and federal rules on this sort of thing. The deadline isn't a hard deadline.
Once we get to March 16, the plans aren't set in stone.
In fact, we're still really early in the planning process (we'll have to post on what that is another time...). If you've got input on the project, sent it our way. Well, send it to the folks with Parsons-Brinkerhoff who are helping us on these plans. They can be reached at wurzbach@pbworld.com.
Or you can always just send it to us. Please email it to us using the online form here - leaving comments through the blog is not the most effective way to let us know what you think on this one.


Every project has trade-offs
Ultimately, these are your roads. We can come up with every forward-thinking design we can cart out, but if these ideas aren't meeting the needs you have now and you think will exist in the next 5-25 years ... well, we won't go that route.
As our director of transportation planning and development often says, we don't like to go where we're not wanted.
This means getting the trade-offs you are willing to make and want to see happen. So let us know - keep the ideas coming! We have changes on nearly every single project we develop stemming from public input. If you don't like the ideas we're coming up with, tell us what you don't like and what you would do different - and we'll try to incorporate those ideas to the best of our ability.
Note we do consider a democratic process here. If a complaint is from one single individual while the overwhelming feedback from others is to do the opposite, we're going to stick with the masses. That doesn't mean you need to organize on NextDoor to inundate us with feedback, however. Designating a representative for your HOA to speak on behalf of the group (and clarify they are indeed representing a number of voices) will typically do the trick.


For what it's worth
Take a look at the presentation from the public meeting, if you missed it. Some cool stuff on the SPUI in there. We've also posted the schematic and a video presentation. Check them out so you know the ideas we're coming up with!

Wurzbach Parkway: The next chapter

Yes, the saga of Wurzbach Parkway continues.

Brief history
A collector and arterial route serving north-central San Antonio and crossing US 281 was drawn up in the early 1980s. This route was built piece-by-piece as money became available, with the final three segments starting construction back in 2011. The final segment, connecting West Avenue to Jones-Maltsberger, opened up September 2014.
With the final segment open and Wurzbach Parkway in full use, we kind of thought we'd be done talking about it here on the Go Ahead! blog. We were wrong. We've had more than a half-dozen posts on the Parkway since it opened, though admittedly many were about requests from stakeholders to raise the speed limits.
Now the speed limits are up, folks have been clamoring for help getting traffic through the Northwest Military and Lockhill-Selma intersections. Well, in true Wurzbach Parkway fashion, we're fixing this in pieces.

Public input
If you get frustrated being stuck at that signal at Northwest Military Highway during peak traffic hours, we need to hear from you.
Not so fast! Don't go emailing us just yet. Instead, we want to chat with you in person. Tonight.
We'll be at Oak Meadow Elementary School between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. to discuss the plan we've got worked out to get traffic through the Northwest Military intersection and improve traffic flow up to Lockhill Selma.
The idea is pretty cool, and looks a lot like the intersection of Fredericksburg Road at Medical Drive. It also involves a fancy intersection called a SPUI, or single-point urban interchange. (You can read about these things here, then come ready to chat with us about them at the open house. An animation on how a SPUI works is found here.)

If you can't make it
We'll have the materials posted on our web site here later this week. It'll include the powerpoint we show at the meeting as well as any relevant schematics and a video animation of the intersection. You'll also find appropriate contact info there to let us know what you think.
Whether you're at the meeting or not, if you don't speak up we won't know what you're thinking and considerations you are thinking of may get missed! We are, after all, only human!

Mail Bag: Safety cables, sidewalks and traffic signals - and a whole lot more....

I was wondering when the median cables on I-10 between the Bexar County line and Leon Springs would be repaired. Quite a few are down or are bent. When they are like that is does not seem to protect like they are supposed to. Thank you.
- Michael
Michael, thanks for your note. We have similar issues with our new cable median barriers along Hwy 151 as well - they've become victim to car crashes. We are issuing work orders as quickly as we can to get these barriers repaired.

Just how important is the safety of the Schertz residents during the construction of these sidewalks (along FM 3009)? How rude can the construction crew be and how much screaming are they allowed to do at pedestrians who are trying to walk to work safely? My son, walked on the dry sidewalk for safety reasons, was screamed at to get off, and almost hit by two cars. The construction along the entire length of FM 3009 is so messed up, no safe place for people to walk safely along the road now exists. At least before the sidewalks began it was possible for people to walk to work and not be hit by oncoming traffic. Now the only options are to get hit or get screamed at. Your construction crew have no right to be screaming at anyone. Let them work in the street so the pedestrians may safely walk. They owe many, many apologies! Even as a driver who had to pull over into one of the closed lanes I was yelled at. We don't need sidewalks this badly, if this is how we have to get them. Send your crew packing!
- Therese
Therese, thank you for writing. I hope you'll note we did our best to keep your whole message to us intact - we want to be fully transparent here. We did edit for clarity of your issue.
Let us first apologize for the way it appears you've been treated. We will discuss the matter with our contractors - they need to be better ambassadors than that. Courtesy should be held at all times, by all parties.
That said, we should address a few issues. First, at no time should any vehicle ever pull into a lane closed for use as an active construction zone. This is a serious safety hazard. While drivers who do so absolutely do not deserve to be verbally accosted, they are rightly asked to move along by construction crews. Let all other drivers take note: pulling over into a closure area is unsafe and should never be done. Look for an empty parking lot to pull into if you're looking to pull over for any reason whatsoever.
Prior to this project starting no safe route to walk along FM 3009 existed. The purpose of this project is to create one. While concrete may appear to be dry, it was likely a fresh pour from the prior day or two. While walking on the sidewalk may not leave footprints, it's still not an opened sidewalk. It's part of an active construction zone and is dangerous to walk in.
To be clear: no pedestrian should ever walk in or through an active construction zone except where a specifically marked pedestrian detour route has been laid out. In this case, no pedestrian detour route was put into place because the area had no prior pedestrian facilities. That said, we can look into options to help that situation out so your son can reach his destination as intended.

Any plans to relieve the congestion on FM1560 between Bandera Road and Shaenfield Road?
-Zane
In a word: yes! The problem is funding. While we don't have anything programmed for that area right now, we do have this on our radar. In order to accomplish that we'll need to acquire right-of-way and go through the whole process of designing and public meetings ... we're a few years away.
Here's the good news: the work on Lp 1604 is only a few short months from finishing up, and a lot of the excess traffic that's on FM 1560 to escape the construction delays will return to a much more efficient Lp 1604 at that time. While that should help, it won't solve anything.
Which is why we're working with the city of Helotes to find a way to expedite work that otherwise may wait five years or more.

Regarding the eastbound I-10 on-ramp from Scenic Loop Road, the ramp seems too short and barricades block the shoulder so merging traffic doesn't have space to speed up. Can anything be done to help?
- Resident
Truthfully, the ramp hasn't changed in length whatsoever - it's been untouched in our traffic control plan for the reconstruction of that intersection. The concrete traffic barrier was placed at that location due to a drop-off that would be a serious safety issue, so moving the barrier isn't a viable solution. That said, we'll keep a watchful eye out to see if there are any issues we can address during the construction phasing to improve the area and ensure drivers are able to adequately speed up to the posted limit of 70 miles per hour prior to needing to merge.

I realize that it's always been two lanes of Boerne Stage Road under I-10. That's the problem: two lanes is not enough with current traffic loads. When does TxDOT plan to open up all four lanes under I-10? That would greatly relieve the current traffic nightmare there.
- Andy
You're absolutely right, Andy. Having all four lanes open will help. That's why we're building them! We're hoping to have some more lane configurations open up along that whole project next month. We'll have more on the blog next week to describe what all is happening and what folks in the area may expect.

What's going on with the traffic light at New Guilbeau and 1604? Why was it out for so long?
-Zane
For those not familiar with the area, Zane is referring to a malfunction of the signal control box that occurred late Monday and wasn't fixed until mid-morning Tuesday this week. Such a delayed response is highly uncharacteristic, and is partly due to the project staff not even learning about the malfunction until Tuesday morning. Once the malfunction was discovered by project personnel they had crews in place to address the issue within a few short hours.
Several folks - some of us here at TxDOT included - were caught in the traffic delays and spent as much as 45 extra minutes to get through New Guilbeau Road that morning.
The good news: lesson learned. We were able to get officers on site relatively quickly Tuesday morning to direct traffic. What's more, we've got methods in place to be more diligent about inspecting these signals, even during holidays. We shouldn't see this problem again.
Better news: we should all be driving on the overpasses and expressways before the school year lets out, so this sort of thing won't be such an impact should it happen again in the future.

Will there eventually be a better way to get on Wurzbach Parkway going east from 281? Right now, you have to do the turnaround to get to the east entrance.
- Pam 
Pam, you must be talking about the southbound US 281 to eastbound Wurzbach Parkway movement. Honestly, no - this is the configuration we've had planned for years. Because of the proximity to the airport we can't build the much taller direct connectors (requiring at least two additional levels of roadway, increasing our elevation by some 60 or more feet) that would ease that movement. What's more, we simply don't have the $500 million in the bank to construct direct connectors for Wurzbach and US 281.
So, for the foreseeable future (10 years or more), the current arrangement is what we'll have out there for you - just as we'd discussed from day one with the project.

Mail Bag: Kind words to TxDOT, Wurzbach Pkwy issues, questions about Lp 1604

Sorry for the dearth of responses over the last several weeks - bouncing between a number of issues with projects wrapping up and finishing, combined with the hectic schedule around the holidays, has made for a schedule challenging for blog posts like this. Please keep sending your questions and we'll get the best answers possible for them!

Thank you, thank you, thank you! My drive to work (on Wurzbach) was still at 45 miles per hour but I went out at lunch and it was changed. There are those who will still go faster than 60 MPH, but at least I can feel safer. I appreciate your blog and followed it regularly for Wurzbach Parkway updates. I will continue to use for other construction updates. Thank you for the work you do for the citizens of San Antonio. It is appreciated.
- Anonymous
Thank you for lifting the speed limit on Wurzbach Parkway from N.W. Military Drive to Starcrest. What a difference it makes. I love this new expressway - it is clean, beautiful and I use it daily.
- Elizabeth
This note is from a happy traveler! Each time I travel on the Wurzbach Parkway it tickles me! After following the news items about the progress being made on its planning, building, and opening, I am delighted that it is complete and open for business! My congratulation to TxDOT on a job well done and thank you from someone who is tickled to enjoy traveling on it!
- Margie

Well ... thank you all for your kind words! We passed your compliments along to the folks responsible for the sign changes as well as for the project overall. They're always glad to hear a kind word!


Whomever came up with the idea to put the barrier up at northbound I-35 where I-35 and US 281 and I-37 all come together is a genius. That was a really bad spot in the morning as people coming from the lower level would shoot across two or three lanes of traffic in an attempt to reach Broadway or I-37. Thank you very much!
- Frank

Well thank you, Frank! Glad to do it. Sounds like the barrier is having its intended result! We aren't finished with that project yet, by the way; we still have a final surface of asphalt to lay down. That will not happen until a streak of warmer temperatures hits, though - likely this spring.


Just curious as to why 281 NB lanes between Nakoma and Bitters were configured as they are now. ... I am really hoping that with the opening of the Wurzbach Pkwy exit things will smooth out, but if not, would there be plans to re-stripe the roadway to get an exit only and possibly get things moving better?
- Mark

Mark, the opening of the Wurzbach Parkway exit should have smoothed everything out. Our apologies for the long-delayed response!
As for future plans ... what you see now is what you'll get moving forward. There is some added space out there. That will allow us to adjust the highway for growth in the future, if we should need to do so. That does, however, require federal approval as it involves adding capacity to the highway.


With the new interchange at Loop 1604 and US 281, the entrance ramp from the southbound US 281 access road to the southbound US 281 main lanes was relocated. Now everyone must go through the traffic light at Donella. This results in queues approaching a half-mile in length. ... Why can’t this intersection be made similar to the Super Street that US 281 was made into north of 1604? The overpass could be closed, turnarounds would remain open, and the signals removed. All traffic from entering Donella would be forced to travel either north or south to the next turnaround. This would greatly improve mobility in this area. Even better is that it would likely cost very little in capital costs.
- Travis

Interesting ideas; nothing we can definitively speak about at this point, Travis. We've passed the suggestion along to the folks with operations and with planning and design so they can add it to the list of suggestions to run through and determine feasibility and impact. Thanks!


Since the frontage roads between Ralph Fair and Fair Oaks Ranch will eventually become one way, are there plans to add a light at the intersection of Old Fredericksburg Road and Ralph Fair? Currently that section of Old Fredericksburg Road is closed for construction but once it reopens it is the only exit for people to go south to Ralph Fair. ... As more developers add to the Old Fredericksburg area, the congestion really backs up in the mornings. Thanks!
- Heidi

Heidi, at the risk of misunderstanding what's being asked, let us assure you the conversion of the frontage roads to one-way will not happen until the overpass at Old Fred Road and I-10 is finished and functioning. Until that point you'll have two-way access along the frontage roads on both sides of I-10 between Ralph Fair and Fair Oaks.
Once the new overpass is built and the frontage roads are converted we'll have a full-fledged intersection at Old Fred and I-10, eliminating the issue you've brought up with the Old Fred-Ralph Fair intersection being the "only exit" for people to use going south. The issue will, essentially, take care of itself.
In the interim, with the construction going on between Ralph Fair and Fair Oaks, we're aware an issue may arise again at your intersection. That said, we do not have plans to add a traffic signal. The biggest reason is proximity to the I-10 signals. We don't like, on TxDOT-controlled roads, to place signals in such close proximity (we are aware of the situation on Boerne Stage Road at HEB ... that is not a TxDOT-operated road).


Who can I contact about perhaps more barricades being placed on the 6300–6500 block of Tezel? Especially the middle turning lane.
- Yvonne

That request needs to go through the city of San Antonio - that project belongs to them.


Where exactly will there be an exit/entrance from 1604 to New Guilbeau Rd.?
- Maria

This is a situation where a picture is, quite honestly, worth a thousand words. So we won't waste any more words and just leave a picture (pro tip: click on the picture to be able to zoom in and see details):

My back fence is against the grassy area next to 1604 by potranco (outside the loop). I was told that my back fence was going to be replaced with a sound reducing fence due to the overpass planned. Can I have more info on this?
- Natalie

We are indeed including a sound wall at the Westcreek Oaks subdivision along the new southbound frontage road, just to the north of Potranco Road. This wall will be built on TxDOT right-of-way and will not replace fencing built on private property. Note a sound wall is a tall concrete wall; it's not going to be fancy. Function over form on this kind of thing.
Here's a look at the wall location, from our planning folks:

Construction on this project, which will extend the expressway of Loop 1604 through Potranco Road, will begin summer 2016. The project will take at least two and a half years to complete.


You've said that all the work is done now, and I know from reading here that the path from Northbound US 281 to westbound Wurzbach Parkway is to exit Bitters, turn around, and backtrack to Wurzbach. Why don't the signs say that? The only sign that tells drivers that ... is sign on the northbound frontage road of US 281 that says westbound Wurzbach is straight ahead (although the "WEST" portion is covered up for some reason). There is no sign telling drivers to turn around at Bitters (but there is a turn around sign for the opposite direction at Nakoma). Seems to me the most efficient 281 signage would be to turn the current Wurzbach Parkway exit into an eastbound Wurzbach Parkway exit and turn the Bitters Rd exit into an exit for both Bitters Rd and westbound Wurzbach Parkway (and add the turnaround sign approaching the intersection).
- Travis

Travis, we took this directly to our operations folks that handle signs. The Wurzbach exit has to stay the Wurzbach exit - intended to capture traffic for both directions of Wurzbach Parkway. It's the KISS principle - Keep It Simple, Silly. Fewer signs announcing Wurzbach Parkway (PA 1502) means fewer opportunities for confusion and problems.
At this point, however, these issues should be resolved. At the time you wrote in these were "punch-list" items - finalizing items the contractor needed to finish. That included removing the covering from the sign along the northbound frontage road to which you've referenced. What we should have in place on the northbound side of US 281 are:
- Three large main lane overhead sign boards
- Two white and green signs on the northbound frontage road
- Route markers per the TMUTCD
With crews wrapping all this up, some of the deficiencies you've pointed out should have been addressed already.

Speed limits on Wurzbach are changed

It's official: the speed limit on the new segments of Wurzbach Parkway, spanning between Wetmore and Blanco, has been raised to 60 miles per hour.

Those who missed this morning's Periscope can watch as the first signs are put up between Wetmore and Jones-Maltsberger.

We've discussed at length already the reason for the original posting of a 45 MPH speed limit. Last week the Texas Transportation Commission discussed our findings from a speed study of the corridor and approved the speed limit changes implemented today.

The new speed limits are:

• Wetmore to Blanco Road - 60 MPH
• Blanco Road to Northwest Military Hwy - 60 MPH*
• Northwest Military Hwy to Lockhill Selma Road - 50 MPH*

*These speed limits were previously incorrectly posted on this blog; they've been adjusted per direction of the traffic signs technician who posted them. 

Speed limits on the remainder of Wurzbach remained unchanged.

Mail Bag (1 of 2): Wurzbach speed limits (again), potholes, highway signs, Loop 1604 northeast

To those who've reached out to us reporting potholes ... thank you! Those reports have been passed along to the appropriate folks and will be addressed as soon as possible. As for other questions, we've got two Mail Bag posts this week (look for 2 of 2 this weekend).

With just about everyone having access to Google Maps and or cell phones, why don't you include a GPS coordinate description option? This would eliminate cumbersome requested information. Your road crews have cell phones with that resource. Those reporting who don't have a GPS coordinate, can use the other descriptive sources.
- Ruben

Not a bad option, Ruben - provided those using the GPS feature to report the potholes were passengers only. Unfortunately, not enough folks have gotten the message that use of a mobile device - to call or to text - while driving is an extremely poor decision, so we're not about to start providing more opportunities for a bad choice.
Also, as luck would have it, our crews are actually not equipped with fancy GPS gear. We go by good, old-fashioned cross streets and mile markers for the most part. Sure, some of our guys have their own personal cell phones ... but not all have state-issued devices.
That said, if you submit a report with a GPS coordinate, we'll pass it along the same as the others!

Not a question, more of an observation. The questions regarding the speed limit on PA 1502 (Wurzbach Parkway) likely stem from the fact that it feels like it was designed for 60 and the local PD has been providing frequent written and costly reminders that it is currently 45.
- Bill

Bill, we've addressed this issue before. More than once, actually. That said, the issue should be adjusted pretty darned soon - the Texas Transportation Commission discussed this topic in today's commission meeting.

How do I keep myself safe going the 45 MPH posted speed when people are zooming around me going 60-70 MPH? Do I risk getting a ticket to keep up with them?
- Anonymous

The best advice we have is to be patient. As we've discussed before and in the question above, this issue will be completely resolved very, very soon....

Now that all the lanes are open on Loop 1604 on the Northeast Side between Universal City and I-10, would it be possible to have the traffic lights optimized in this area to improve the flow of traffic on Loop 1604? I drive 1604 daily, and I frequently hit every red light between I-10 and I-35, driving with the flow of traffic and at the speed limit. It would really help the flow in this area if the lights were timed better.
- David

Those signals, like most in the region, operate on a VIVD system and are optimized. We have to balance the timing of the signals on your route with the timing of signals on other routes. Heck, most of us have days where we feel like we hit every signal along the way. Every. Single. One. (SO frustrating....)
The signals are optimized, but we can make sure the detection cameras are clean and working as designed. Thanks for letting us know!
By the way, most signals in San Antonio - even those on state-maintained roads - are controlled by the city of San Antonio Transportation and Capital Improvements division.

On Loop 1604 between Braun and Culebra, would it be possible to have Williams Brothers close the third lane, in particular southbound before the turnaround to New Guilbeau and northbound after the turnaround? I recognize that these lanes feed into the turnarounds; however, it seems like it has transformed into a lane for opportunists rather than those desiring to turn left (at the aforementioned areas) and would improve the flow of traffic by eliminating another merge point.
- Ryan

This has been suggested more than once, and we've looked into it with pretty great detail. The problem is, per the engineers who've studied this option and run some models, this will create an even bigger problem with traffic flow than what's out there now.
On the plus side, as was written earlier this week, we could have the intersections at New Guilbeau and (with a little luck...) Shaenfield open to traffic as early as Christmas. That will help us adjust the way things look out there and help stop the folks who are cutting in line as you've observed.

Why are there no overhead signs indicating that the exit lanes on northbound US 281 at Brook Hollow and at Oak Shadows/Winding Way, as well as on eastbound I-410 at Airport Avenue, are exit only? Additionally, there are new signs along US 281 in the vicinity of Wurzbach Parkway that indicate the entrance ramps merge directly into the main lanes of 281. This is not the case. The ramps have their own dedicated lanes that turn into exit only lanes further along.
- Travis

We used to have those northbound US 281 exits marked as you've indicated - and the pavement is marked accordingly. Let us double-check with our traffic operations folks to ensure these markings are appropriate.
The southbound traffic issues you've identified should be corrected by now (in fairness, Travis sent his note to us a few weeks ago and these issues have been resolved, or mostly resolved, in the meantime).

When will the bicycle path west of Jones Maltsberger Road open for use?
- Tom

We're hoping by the end of the year! The rains put a hurt on some of what we've built down there, but we're working to get it all repaired and up to snuff again. Honestly, our contractor wants to be done and over with the project so all resources can be moved to a new job ... so you can bet you'll be riding through the whole thing well ahead of Christmas (and might even be able to do so by Thanksgiving).


How can we get a yellow flashing turn signal from southbound Randolph Boulevard onto eastbound Crestway Drive in northeast San Antonio that will prevent one from having to wait through two light changes to make a left turn?
- Terry

The area you've asked about doesn't fall within the authority of the state's highway department. However, Terry, we've already passed your request along to the good folks with the city of San Antonio - you should hear from them soon!

Mail Bag: Wurzbach Parkway speed limit, Wurzbach congestion, Loop 1604 northwest traffic patterns

Now that the parkway is in full operation (thank you!), a HUGE amount of traffic seems to collect at the end of the parkway at NW Military during commuting times. The lights have been adjusted though it doesn't seem to balance out with the additional traffic.
Does a long term plan to handle this additional traffic exist? If the Parkway was indeed meant to connect I-35 to I-10, shouldn't it connect us a little closer and not dumping us into Wurzbach at Military which arguably is one of the most trafficked areas of the city during rush hour?
- Joe
Will the timing of the traffic signals at Wurzbach and W. Military be adjusted for the new increase in traffic volume? Westbound Wurzbach was backed up from NW Military to almost Blanco this morning (Thursday).
- Craig
I was so pumped and excited about the opening of the Wurzbach Parkway! However, my excitement came to a crashing halt (literally) when I experienced the traffic backup at the NW Military Hwy traffic signal (Thursday morning). Due to the now-high volume of traffic traveling westbound Wurzbach Parkway, the traffic backup is so extreme, I will now have to choose an alternate route. Is there any adjustment that can be made to the signal at that intersection to make traffic flow more smoothly due to the high volume created by the opening of the westbound Wurzbach Parkway?
- Laura

The potential for gridlock on the west end of Wurzbach, where the parkway transitions to a signalized arterial route, is something we've been discussing internally for years (literally) and discussing with the good folks who will use (and now are using) the Parkway for the last several weeks.
Engineers with the city of San Antonio's Transportation and Capital Improvements division have already optimized the timing of traffic signals along this corridor to help push flow through. That optimization didn't take place until after the Thursday rush hour, though timing adjustments were indeed being made Thursday. Those adjustments will continue to be tweaked as needed to continually help the traffic flow.
What's more, the city council office and TCI have been discussing several options to help these intersections; heck, we've even committed to help through the process (to the tune of $1 million), upgrading these intersections to handle the added capacity.
Meanwhile, we're hoping folks get the message we've been trying to broadcast: when you get to Blanco Road or Northwest Military, consider heading north to Loop 1604 or south to I-410. If you really are coming all the way from the east side, these routes will help redistribute traffic and thin things out all over.
As for the intent of the roadway (Joe's question), providing an additional east-west connector besides I-410 and Loop 1604 is one of the major side-benefits to this. Keep in mind this whole thing was conceived (and started actually being built) when the city was much smaller and development along the northeast and northwest sides of town was still just starting!
The main purpose of this is as a commuter expressway - for "short trips", as the engineers would say. The idea is to connect those coming from, say, Churchill High School with areas like Blossom Athletic Center or (now) Heroes Stadium. That sort of commute is what the Parkway is truly designed for, but its existence certainly helps with the east-west movement between I-10 and I-35.
Why not go all the way to I-10 and I-35, then? Great question; the biggest reason at this point is that the ship for that has sailed long ago. Development along Wurzbach Road is pretty full, preventing any chance at reasonably building the parkway all the way to I-10 without demolishing a slew of businesses and other buildings. On the eastern end we have a similar situation where the development along I-35 prevents a reasonable location for a new access point, and existing access points are fairly well developed.
It's not a great answer, but it's the one we've got for now!


When the Parkway was first presented to the public, it was to only be 45mph and have very limited intersections. Now it will be a race track by the time it dumps on Wurzbach's 40mph at Lock Hill.
- JP

The parkway does feature a limited number of intersections - only major cross-streets. It's a "limited access" road, and we have it posted at 45 miles per hour (that's a design speed we discussed during last week's Mail Bag post).
The segment between Blanco Road and Northwest Military features a lower speed limit than you see on the segments more closely mimicking expressway lanes on the far eastern segments, and between Northwest Military and Lockhill Selma the speed limit drops a bit more. The idea is to ease in and out of the area to which you've referred and prevent a "race track" from happening.
We have a lot of folks expressing a desire to raise the 45mph speed limits, which is subject to speed studies. Those studies are already being lined up by TxDOT traffic operations staff.


Would it be possible to get a temporary light set up at Liberty Field and 1604? The traffic at this intersection is horrible in the mornings! And back tracking to Shaenfield and 1604 isn't much better! Its taken me anywhere from 10 minutes to almost 30 minutes just to get onto 1604.
- Wayne

The short answer is a simple "no", but that doesn't come callous. We've discussed the issue before, several times.
To be fair, we have several folks here at TxDOT driving through this area regularly, including the primary contributor of the blog here. Call us up at any time and commiserate about the traffic!
Based on personal experiences, then, leaving the Bridgewood subdivision during peak hours ranges between 8 and 18 minutes, depending on the route you take and the nature of the day. Wet days (when we get overnight rain) tend to be worse than dry ones.
Leaving through Shaenfield, by the way, carries a solid average of 13 minutes. This is through several samples. Liberty Field and Oscar Wood are right at about the same. Both seem to naturally flow 4-5 cars through when a break on the southbound lanes thanks to the signal at Shaenfield.
At any rate, the reason for no signal at Liberty Field (or Oscar Wood, or Creston Gate, or Tausch Drive, or Leslie Road, or Bowens Crossing...) is the final configuration. The current temporary signals in place along this route are an extension of permanent signals at Shaenfield and at New Guilbeau; we aren't going to have signals at these other intersections long-term. In fact, come summer 2016, the whole issue will be moot.
To construct signals - even temporary ones - at these locations would increase the cost of the project by about an extra $1 million (not including costs to keep the signals on and running), add a lot more work at these intersections (right now we're pretty much finished at these locations) and create more stopping points for the 80,000 cars that move through the route every day. Congestion along Loop 1604 would become gridlock, and the whole scenario would get a whole lot worse than it is right now.
Sound apocalyptic? Perhaps. These scenarios are actually played through some computer programs to simulate traffic patterns and impacts made by various items. This has been considered and modeled, and the outcome was pretty well disastrous.
So the best advice is to be patient - it's what we're doing. The project is moving along much faster than had been anticipated, and provided we have continued favorable weather and other major issues don't spring up, we should have traffic on the main lanes of Loop 1604 by summer 2016.


Regarding "Loop 1604 Northwest" is there an anticipated date when the New Guilbeau turn lanes will open up again? I realize the overpasses will not be completed (to drive on) until late 2016, just curious if the timelines are linked.
Thank you!
By the way, I'm in awe of how quickly the contractors are working! They seem so efficient!
- Hannah

Well this is as fantastic a question as could be asked - one we hadn't thought through on the communications and outreach end of things!
The intersection has to be opened up in order to take out the temporary u-turns, which would need to be obliterated in order to finish the main lanes and open up the overpasses....
All this suggests that, yes, the turns at New Guilbeau (and at Shaenfield!) will open before the bridges are completely finished up. All the overhead work will be finished, of course - including all the beams and panels getting set and the concrete being poured. Then the road extension for the intersection itself will need to be built (that's lacking at the moment).
Based on what we are hearing from our consultant managing the project, we could see the intersection at New Guilbeau reopened early 2016.


Why was the timing of the signal lights at Boerne Stage Rd. and the westbound I-10 frontage road in Leon Springs changed? This was a huge issue when the project first started, but was adjusted and really improved traffic flow. Between September 21-22 the timing was changed and now traffic is horrible. On Boerne Stage Road the light on the east side of the I-10 underpass allows no more than 3-4 cars through for each green light. It's beyond ridiculous and needs to be rectified as soon as possible. I sat through 9 light changes after crossing the eastbound frontage road (in front of HEB) before finally being able to make the left turn onto the westbound frontage road by Rudy's.
- Matthew

A lot of the timing issues out there are associated with the new signal on Boerne Stage Road at HEB - not a signal on the I-10 frontage roads. That said, we'll check out what's going on and see if we can get things fixed back up for you!


We came across a sign at the intersection of Wurzbach Parkway and West Avenue that says "1502 PA". What does that stand for and does it apply to all of Wurzbach Parkway? Thank you.
- Lars

Lars, you're the second person since the start of summer who has asked about the PA 1502 issue. The last time was in one of our very first Mail Bag posts! And yes, this does apply to all of Wurzbach Parkway (between Wiedner Road and Northwest Military Highway).
Here's what we said then:
There's a really quick way to answer this one ... and since it's asked often, it's worth adding here: PA is TxDOT-ese for "Parkway". For Wurzbach Parkway, the state highway designation is "Parkway 1502".
In Texas, we use a number of state highway designations. We have the Interstate highways (NOT Interstate Highways - note the difference in capitalization!) like I-10, I-35, I-37, I-410 (Also note ... NOT "IH Whatever" ... Just a simple "I-" before the number!). We have U.S. Highways (like 281, 90, 87). We have Texas Highways (like 46 and 16). We have State Loops (like Loop 1604). We have State Spurs (like Spur 53, Spur 536 and Spur 371). We have Farm-to-Market (FM) roads, and we have Ranch-to-Market (RM) roads.
By the way ... the difference between the FM and RM designation is all geography. Generally speaking, west of U.S. 281 in our state, the roads are RM roads. East of U.S. 281, the roads are FM roads.
Each of these roads is owned, developed and maintained by the Texas Department of Transportation. If a road doesn't have one of these state highway designations, it's probably not maintained by us in any way.

Mail Bag: the Braun Road intersection at Loop 1604, speed limits on Wurzbach Parkway and UTSA Blvd turnarounds.

Loop 1604 northwest

Are there any plans to reformat the intersection under the new overpass to alleviate traffic on Braun? Perhaps an additional turn lane?
- Josh
Are there any plans to add a second left turn lane at the stoplight turning onto northbound 1604 from eastbound Braun Road?
- Mike
Just wondering when the intersection of Braun and 1604 will get two left turn lanes instead of just one.
- Eric
The intersection at 1604 and Braun desperately needs a second turn lane.
- Ryan

Josh, Mike, Eric and Ryan ... you ask a great question! This is a question we've talked through a few times before, including a brief mention in a video a few months back. However, the need to address it again is pretty plain, as you're not the only ones asking. By the way, forgive the editorial license to cut some of your notes down to the single sentence - we wanted to show folks the numbers and just how oft-asked this question is.
The current configuration, with eastbound Braun Road offering a single left-turn lane onto northbound Loop 1604, will continue as-is until the current phase of construction is complete and we have traffic active on the overpass at Braun Road. The reason for this is signal sequencing; currently we are able to run traffic in opposing directions concurrently; opening that center lane to an optional left/straight lane, as has been often suggested, would create conflicts and require traffic signals to be sequenced so that only one direction would be allowed to move at a time. That would actually make the congestion at this location much worse.
As for those many have pointed out are breaking the law by making an illegal left turn from the center through lane, we recommend contacting the city of San Antonio's finest and asking for some additional enforcement. The actions of some are causing a dangerous situation for those who are obeying the posted regulatory signs.
Once the project is finished the intersection will be sequenced much like other cross-street intersections at expressways. We'll have two left-turn lanes from eastbound Braun to northbound Loop 1604. It's going to be awesome for everyone - but it's going to take some doing to get to.
While you're waiting for that, consider some alternate routes. Driving FM 1560 through Helotes to reach Loop 1604 at Bandera or Hausman, for instance, isn't a horrible option. Certainly worth a look!

The buttress located on the southbound on ramp back onto old 1604 which separates the continued access road to Culebra is extremely dangerous as it is too close to the actual merging lane - both lanes merging back onto 1604 are also too narrow for safe driving. There is a significant count of large trucks and semis that travel this route and this is by far the worst temporary fix I have seen in a long time. Please consider revamping this one spot for the safely of all travelers.
- Nina

Nina, thank you for your observations. For those who don't know what she's talking about, we're on southbound Loop 1604 between Shaenfield and Culebra roads. The entrance ramp putting traffic back onto the main lanes and avoiding the intersection of Culebra is the issue here.
First, safety is our top priority. No question. With that in mind, this is the permanent entrance ramp for traffic; when we're finished with work, this will be a single-lane entrance ramp allowing southbound traffic from Shaenfield to enter the main lanes toward Hwy 151 and beyond.
That said, it was built with more width; those lanes on the ramp are 11 feet wide and feature four-inch stripes on the sides and a four-inch dashed line in the middle (total of an additional 12 inches). We also have at least six inches of clearance between these lines and the concrete railing (or barrier) on either side of the ramp. Total width of the two-lane ramp right now: about 24 feet.
Let's put that into perspective. Your typical highway lane is 12 feet wide, with occasional lanes reaching 13 feet in width. We do have some going as much as 15 feet wide, such as on the Loop 1604 frontage roads on the north side of San Antonio, in areas requiring "shared use" - meaning cars and bicycles can use them at the same time.
In work zones, we are allowed to take lanes down to 10 feet on non-Interstate highways (we do try to stay at 11 feet on the Interstates). That means that, at 11 feet, these two entrance ramps actually exceed the Federal Highway Adminstration's standard for safety.
What's more, the concrete rail we have out there is buffered with a 400-foot striped gore area to guide traffic safely onto the ramp.
All that said, your suggestion has been forwarded on to our project engineers; if there is something that makes good engineering sense that can be done, they'll do it!

Wurzbach Parkway

I'm thrilled to see Wurzbach Parkway finally opening up. Why is there a long section that is only 45 MPH when there are sections at 60 MPH and 55 MPH? 45 MPH seems to cripple the parkway's usefulness.
- Adam

The posted speed limit on Wurzbach Parkway between Blanco Road and Wetmore is intentionally posted at 45 MPH because of specification requirements in the design stages. When a road is designed and a curb or sidewalk is involved, specification books don't allow a design speed above 45 miles per hour.
That doesn't mean the currently posted speed can't be changed, however. If requested by the local municipalities, a speed study can be done and the speed limits be changed. For the time being, however, this stretch of roadway continues to be a 45 MPH road, and folks driving the area should keep the lead feet off the skinny pedal and enjoy the drive
By the way, the difference in time for this stretch between traveling 60 MPH and 45 MPH is 1.8 minutes. That's a far cry from crippling the usefulness of a road when you consider the time saved over other routes

I-10 Huebner

When will the new turnaround next to UTSA blvd open?
- Zane
The blog from October 28, 2014 stated that the east-to-west turnaround at UTSA would "definitely" be open before Thanksgiving...
This was Thanksgiving 2014? Any updates...
- Jay

Jay, you're right to ask - at the time of that post, the plan was indeed Thanksgiving 2014. Here we are now, a full 10 months later, and we're just now getting it open.
The paving subcontractor on this project - Angel Brothers Construction - has used the turnaround bridge as a staging area for equipment they use during their overnight paving work. We've been asking for several months for that equipment to be moved, but without any financial disincentive we haven't had an easy go of making that happen to our liking.
Once the equipment was finally moved here about six weeks ago, we noted the presence of several very large and very dark oil and tar stains on the brand-new bridge deck. Rather than open traffic up immediately, we've been trying to get Angel Brothers to clean those stains up. Well, stubborn stains as they are (a simple blast of selzer water isn't getting the job done) they've just not been lifted.
Now we're at a point where we're trying to simply get the turnaround open and in use, then figure out how to seek proper compensation for the stains on our nice, new bridge. In order to do so, we need the bridge striped. Angel Brothers is doing that work, also. We're waiting for those striping crews to be able to finish the bridge out, along with the striping to blend the bridge into the westbound frontage road coming from UTSA Boulevard, to have the whole thing opened.
Unfortunately we don't have a date to announce - that date has shifted so many times over the last ten months, it's nearly worthless at this point anyway  - but we do carry this work as an absolute priority.

I-10 Leon Springs

How may I obtain a "general" idea of the monthly plans rather than the more specific weekly plans for traffic conditions along the Dominion, Ralph Fair, and Boerne exits.
- Ann
Ann, we try and provide a paragraph or so on the general overview of things with each post on here. That's typically a look at what's happening during the upcoming month as well as what to expect that particular week.
With each project meeting a three-week work schedule (an internal document wildly subject to change) is discussed, and the information from these schedules is taken and used for what you see on these posts. It's not a perfect system, but with the limited resources we've got it's the system we're using.
That said, we can certainly make a more concerted effort to include a look at what to expect for the next month or so in our posts!

When do you expect to have another update on Leon Springs area, specifically Dominion Drive to Ralph Fair Road? Thanks for all your hard work on these updates!
- Mike

Well, thanks Mike! Our latest update was posted last week. Your question predates that post, we know - but we're including this in order to let folks know about the post!
Moving forward we are going to try to have posts on this (and other!) projects at least twice a month so folks can stay in the know.

I keep hearing about the access roads near Boerne Stage road being converted to one-way sometime soon. Will there be alternative access built for the locations along the eastbound side (for instance, Las Palapas, the shopping center with Double Daves & Subway)?
- Austin

Austin, these frontage roads will operate much like other frontage roads in metro or urban areas. With a turnaround and a new frontage road at Boerne Stage Road your trips from Dominion to Las Palapas will take a lot less time than you imagine.
Folks concerned about the frontage road conversion along I-10 in the Leon Springs area often mistakenly think of traffic patterns as they exist today. However, we're building a new westbound frontage road from about Fralos to Boerne Stage Road. Yes, that adds another traffic signal to an already bogged-down Boerne Stage Road between Rudy's and HEB. However, those traveling the frontage road will find a much quicker travel time than they have been accustomed to. The turnaround at Boerne Stage Road should easily facilitate those headed from The Dominion to any shop in the HEB complex there at Boerne Stage Road.
Because of this, no additional roads will be built on the eastbound side. If you're interested, you can see the aerial overview of what's going to be out there right here.

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.

Wurzbach Parkway officially opening

Last week we announced Wurzbach Parkway would likely open earlier than expected. Project staff has confirmed crews will open eastbound lanes of the parkway tomorrow afternoon.

Westbound lanes will open next week, with Wednesday being the target.

As folks prepare to navigate the Parkway and how it may best suit their daily commute, check out some helpful hints here.

On our end, we're happy to have the project finished. That's our job, after all - provide safe and reliable transportation solutions for Texas. There's nobody - nobody - more excited to have a project like this done than we are!

Coming sooner than we thought - Wurzbach Parkway

One of the oldest mistakes a journalist - and a blogger - makes is to "bury the lead". To avoid doing that we'll cut to the chase:

Wurzbach Parkway over U.S. 281 will be open and in use next week.

Well, the eastbound lanes over U.S. 281 will be opened, at least. The westbound lanes will open later this month, allowing our engineers and staff with the city of San Antonio to develop some strategies with the influx of traffic anticipated when the parkway meets Wurzbach Road.

This soft opening is some two months ahead of the contracted date and a few weeks earlier than expected when we talked with the Express-News about opening dates earlier this month. Williams Brothers Construction, the contractor working on this job and one of the largest road-building companies in Texas, has accelerated work over the last several months in order to move their resources off this project and onto projects set to start later this fall. There is not an early completion bonus on this project.

Drivers using the new roadway should remain alert to the presence of crews working on the the project through the fall months as punch-list items such as laying sod or grass seed and other aesthetic work are completed.

Last week Williams Brothers opened the new northbound U.S. Hwy 281 exit ramp to Bitters Road, allowing us to shut down the old ramp and work on what will be the northbound exit to Wurzbach Parkway. Remaining work on that new ramp will finish up next week.

Nighttime drivers along Hwy 281 have seen main lane closures each night this week as paving crews resurface and re-stripe the road. This will realign the Hwy 281 main lanes to their final configuration, solving the issues folks have had with entering the lanes from Bitters Road (on the southbound side) and Nakoma Drive (driving north) by adding a dedicated lane for traffic from the frontage road to enjoy as they move into traffic.

During full main lane closures, traffic will exit Nakoma (northbound) and Bitters (southbound), pass through the intersections and re-enter the highway. Police officers will help manage traffic flow through the area. This resurfacing work should wrap up by Friday morning.

Meanwhile, concrete crews are putting some finishing touches on a few culverts and concrete barriers throughout the project. Electricians are tying their lanes to provide power to the street lights on Wurzbach and preparing the traffic signals at Jones-Maltsberger and at West Avenue for traffic in new directions. The city of San Antonio will assume maintenance and timing of the new signals.

The last remaining major item, then, is the turnarounds at Nakoma Drive. The north-to-south turnaround was closed and a span torn out to help build the new Wurzbach Parkway exit for northbound Hwy 281 traffic. As part of the work on the parkway - and as a way to manage traffic on eastbound Wurzbach Parkway headed for northbound U.S. 281 - a new south-to-north turnaround at Nakoma is being constructed. These turnarounds are still being completed and will open early October. With the parkway opened, Williams Brothers will be dedicating increased resources to the turnarounds.

The final configuration for traffic moving between Wurzbach Parkway and U.S. 281 keys on the frontage roads of Hwy 281. Eastbound traffic will turn around at the Nakoma intersection and use the northbound frontage road to reach northbound Hwy 281; westbound traffic will head north to Bitters, turn around, and use the southbound frontage road to reach southbound Hwy 281. Here's a look:

Wurzbach Parkway - the latest

It's a day later than promised, but hopefully this answers the questions you've had about Wurzbach Parkway. And, rather than read, sit back and enjoy this brief video:

Some insider information on this project:

The contractor, Williams Brothers Construction, is also working on the expansion project on Loop 1604 between Bandera and Culeabra roads (including the new connector at Loop 1604 and Hwy 151). Recently they were awarded the contract for a Prop 1 funded project that will add direct connectors between Hwy 151 and I-410.

The new project is set to start early fall, and Williams Brothers likely will need all of their assets (crews, equipment, etc.) not on Loop 1604 moved to the new project. When they are ready to begin the 151-410 job, look for them to really move to finish Wurzbach Parkway.

By contract, Williams Brothers has until the end of the year to finish Wurzbach. The good news is we'll likely be opening this new roadway more than a few weeks early.

Mail Bag: Loop 1604 bike access, Loop 1604 developments, Leon Springs area, Wurzbach Parkway

Is anybody designing protected bike lanes for the access roads (on Loop 1604)? This is a major bike riding area and it doesn't seem like anyone is planning for it to improve safety for riders.
- Miguel

By state policy, we do include plans for bicycle access on all highway projects. This can be done several ways, of course, and is being followed on Loop 1604 between Bandera and Culebra roads. Some solutions to the biking question we have, and what you'll see on Loop 1604:

First, there's the dedicated bike lane, or meandering bike path. We're using this on Wurzbach Parkway (sort of) as we run a meandering multi-use path along the Parkway to connect Hardberger Park and McAllister Park. We're also using a dedicated meandering path along UTSA Boulevard. Either option typically requires the use of additional right-of-way and limits this option to areas where we've got the area already available and we know we're not going to need that space for future expansion.

Next, there's the extra-wide shoulder. This means we include a shoulder that's at least three feet wide, and this is an option typically used in rural areas. Roads built before the adoption of the policy can be seen with really SMALL shoulders - sometimes only a few inches. With the larger shoulders in the rural area, bikers will have a much easier time sharing the road with car drivers.

In an area like this and on our frontage roads in town, we use what's called a "shared-use" lane - a lane built extra wide to accommodate use of both cars and bikes. This is the option you'll see on this stretch, as it's the preferred option in our area for use on frontage roads.

I know it isn't the state but they must be coordinating with you. Can you tell us when Shaenfield Road South to Terra Oak is scheduled to open? I live right there but still have to zigzag two ways now on 1604 and then through the neighborhood 3.7 miles just to get to a point that is literally three blocks away from 1604. I am not angry just very anxious! Thanks, and great job so far!
- Trey

We are wondering the same thing! For those who aren't familiar, Trey is talking about an extension of Shaenfield Road inside Loop 1604 that connects with a city street near Burke Elementary School. Those who drive the area know the superstreet on Lp 1604 was fitted for this road when it was built, and you've likely seen activity to construct the extension near our project along Loop 1604. We are waiting for the contractor on that one to let us know they're ready to open it up.

As it stands, we are all tied in on our end of the road to accept the new side street. This little extension, headed onto northbound Loop 1604, will have a stop sign controlling traffic (not a stop sign on Loop 1604, but on Shaenfield). Until the side street warrants a signal, it will effectively be treated like the side streets coming out of the Wildhorse and Bridgewood subdivisions on the southbound side of Lp 1604. Once we have traffic volumes warranting a traffic signal, that signal will be put in.


The traffic on FM 1560 between Culebra and Braun has grown due to the construction on 1604. Traffic would flow faster if a right turn lane from 1560 onto Braun could be added or if the shoulder could be widened.
- Grace

Interesting suggestion, Grace. It's good to hear there are folks who are using and seeking alternate routes to get around and about in the area!

The process of planning, doing environmental studies for, right-of-way acquisition for and funding a turn lane on northbound FM 1560 at Braun Road is such that we'd not even begin construction until sometime next year. Construction itself would require a solid three months and involve some pretty invasive closures to complete.

The bottom line: we wouldn't have that turn lane ready in time to see any real advantage for traffic seeking to get around the Lp 1604 work between Culebra and Bandera Roads. On the plus side, there is sufficient room for folks to have a sort of turn lane if through traffic doesn't ride on the shoulder.

What we can do in the area is monitor traffic signal timing with the folks in our traffic operations division and make sure things are timed appropriately to maximize traffic flow.

So what's the deal with the frontage road between Boerne Stage Road and Ralph Fair Road? There was a message board announcing a major change for this week, but now it's been changed.
- Lots of folks

Alright, so we've not actually gotten any calls or emails on this ... yet. A week ago we had a message board on the frontage road between Boerne Stage Road and Aue Road in the Leon Springs area announcing a major change that would last for a few months.

The change is the temporary conversion of that frontage road to one-way while crews reconstruct the bridge over Leon Creek. The frontage road will be west-bound only for about five months when the time to do this work comes. The posted start date was this morning (July 20), but conflicts with utilities and a difficult schedule involving one of the project's subcontractors (a lingering effect of rains several weeks ago...).

This work, and corresponding traffic shift, is now scheduled to begin mid-August. When we have an accurate date determined, we will post the announcement right here.

When will Wurzbach Parkway be finished? It's been a while since a dedicated blog post has been posted.
- Lots more folks

Seems we've not done a dedicated post for Wurzbach Parkway in quite a while. The closest comes from a blog post back in June included with a bunch of brief updates on projects across Bexar County. It's clear by the volume of calls - about a dozen in the last week - we need to post another update with stronger details. So that's exactly what we'll do this week for folks. If Wurzbach Parkway is your pet project, stay tuned this week!

But the short version: The Parkway will finish early fall, even though the contractor has until the end of the year to complete the work.

Mail Bag: Highway signs, spare material on projects, closure announcements and more

I remember reading years ago on the Texas Highway Man Web site that one of the things the eponymous Highway Man wished he saw more of in the San Antonio district was more interchange sequence signs. I can think of maybe 3 or 4 I know of in the city, but admittedly, I don't see nearly as many here as I did when living in Houston (or visiting Dallas or Austin), and I'm curious: what is the reason the San Antonio area freeways have seemingly few of these signs?
- Donald

First of all, thanks for referencing the Texas Highway Man. If you're looking for a reliable third party to let you know the ins and outs of what we do, that's the place to go. While the site is in no way affiliated with the Texas Department of Transportation, the information there is typically right on target.

For those who don't know what Donald is talking about with sequence signs, here's a look:

A sequence sign on US 75 - "Central Expressway" - north of downtown Dallas.

Basically, sequence signs are those you'll typically see in an urban area showing you a list of upcoming exits, with the mileage before each exit.

Per our own Texas Manual for Uniform Traffic Control Devices, the rule of thumb is to use what's called advance guide signing - where we use a single sign, or two side-by-side signs, to warn drivers of an upcoming exit - unless the exits are very closely spaced. Our practice in San Antonio is to use the advance guide signs rather than sequence signs because most of our exits are spaced at least three-quarters of a mile apart.

It's our position in San Antonio that advance guide signs convey much simpler information versus the more complex info sets found on sequence signs.

What were the results of the variable speed limit pilot program on north Loop 1604?
- Mark

To find an answer to this question, we reached out to our traffic operations division up in Austin. The study results are in hand and are being prepared for publication right now - but they're not ready yet. Once those results are ready, they should be sent out via news release and readily available on our Web site. You'll also likely see a post on the topic right here, when the time comes.

What will become of the uprooted oak trees resulting from the expansion of Spur 53? That's an awful lot of firewood.
- Gary

This is a question that will give a glimpse into how the business of road-building works, and provide a solid answer to boot! Love questions like this....

As with any project, the contractor retains ownership of material (i.e. dirt, trees, etc.) removed from any contract. Whatever they do with that material is really their choice. This actually acts as an incentive for some contractors who aggressively bid projects, saving us a tremendous amount of money on the cost of construction. When a contractor aggressively bids on a project and under-bids competitors (often leaving potentially available money on the table), they are able to make a profit and earn the money to stay in business by appropriately finding a profitable way to dispose of the materials taken off the construction site.

That means that, if there's something you're interested in getting from the construction site (again, any site) you should coordinate that through the contractor. Just be aware that many contractors are dependent on that material to turn some sort of a profit. That may sound ridiculous with the dollar amounts we talk about (this project on UTSA Boulevard is a $9 million project, for instance), but the contractors are typically operating on a razor-thin profit margin for each project.

Now that a turn lane from eastbound Boerne Stage Road onto the eastbound I-10 access road is open, can something be done to make drivers stop or even just yield like they should? Accidents WILL happen there - the drivers are just not yielding.- Tim

First, it's good to hear there's some progress in the area that's helping. We know that project (Boerne Stage Road) isn't a TxDOT project (it's a Bexar County job), but it's right there next to ours. The county has done a fair job on the project, and it's near time to complete their work out there.

As for our project, the one thing that might help - an acceleration lane for that traffic to turn right onto - isn't in the cards. The best we can do is educate drivers on what the traffic configuration means to daily drivers. From there, the best option is to get law enforcement agencies to enforce things like yield signs or stop signs. Without that enforcement, folks simply don't seem to want to follow the rules. Our advice: take this one up with the appropriate law enforcement agencies.

There is a sign at the intersection of Wurzbach Pkwy and West Ave that has PA on it. What does PA stand for? When I lived in the north PA stood for Pennsylvania. You have us northern transplants confused. Please let me know!
- Jean

There's a really quick way to answer this one ... and since it's asked often, it's worth adding here: PA is TxDOT-ese for "Parkway". For Wurzbach Parkway, the state highway designation is "Parkway 1502".

In Texas, we use a number of state highway designations. We have the Interstate highways (NOT Interstate Highways - note the difference in capitalization!) like I-10, I-35, I-37, I-410 (Also note ... NOT "IH Whatever" ... Just a simple "I-" before the number!). We have U.S. Highways (like 281, 90, 87). We have Texas Highways (like 46 and 16). We have State Loops (like Loop 1604). We have State Spurs (like Spur 53, Spur 536 and Spur 371). We have Farm-to-Market (FM) roads, and we have Ranch-to-Market (RM) roads.

By the way ... the difference between the FM and RM designation is all geography. Generally speaking, west of U.S. 281 in our state, the roads are RM roads. East of U.S. 281, the roads are FM roads.

Each of these roads is owned, developed and maintained by the Texas Department of Transportation. If a road doesn't have one of these state highway designations, it's probably not maintained by us in any way.

Please check your dates. July and June appear to be randomly mixed on the July 2 (lane closures) post.
- Anonymous

Thanks for bringing this to our attention! Many of the lane closures each week are repetitive, so we do a lot of cut-copy-paste and then edit. There are some things that slip through the cracks, and on July 2 a lot of stuff slipped through. The issue was corrected for the July 10 post.

How come there was no notice of the closure of lanes on 1604 between Shaenfield and New Gulibeau?
- Zane

Well, Zane, the closures along that area were announced right here on the blog the week prior to these closures. There was some additional work, mostly at night and primarily around the turnarounds north of Shaenfield. Those closures were announced to us a little too late to get posted on the blog.

While these late closures are annoying (for all of us), they were very minimal. When they happen we get after the contractor and subcontractors responsible and they do better for us. That's what we'll do in this instance.