Major (though short-term) closure coming on I-35 SAMMC

The northbound main lanes of I-35 will close at the southern interchange with I-410 (near SAMMC) May 18 while bridge crews set support beams that will make up the new southbound connector from I-35 to I-410.

Later this month crews will hang bridge support beams over the northbound lanes of I-35, using these support columns and caps. This work will require the complete closure of northbound I-35 for at least a few hours.

Crews will shut down the main lanes at 3 a.m. Sunday morning (May 18) and have traffic reopened gradually throughout the day, with all lanes back in service in time for Monday's morning commute. For the few hours the main lanes will be totally closed, traffic will exit George Beach and take the frontage road onto the southbound frontage of I-410, turn around at Binz-Engleman and renter the highway after going through Rittiman Road.

While this closure directly impacts I-35, drivers on northbound I-410 should also be impacted by this. Southbound lanes will be left relatively unscathed.

When the northbound lanes of I-35 are closed, traffic will be rerouted along the northbound I-35 and northbound I-410 frontage roads through Rittiman Road.

Lane Construction, the prime contractor working on the project, selected this closure date and times to minimize the impact on traffic. The plans on the project allowed a total closure through the weekend, but Lane's planners say they've noticed the lowest volumes of traffic during the very early morning hours on Sundays.

Though not as major as closing main lanes of an interstate, crews will close the north-to-south turnaround at Rittiman Road tonight to give crews safe access to retaining walls as the main lanes of the highway are expanded. The south-to-north turnaround will close in a few weeks. Both closures are long-term, lasting into the summer. Traffic will use the intersection to turn around.

When the turnarounds at Rittiman Road close (this week), more traffic will be moving through the intersections. The signals will be adjusted accordingly to optimize traffic flow.

Further work at Rittiman will require occasional closures of the intersection itself to build support structures for the bridge expansion. Those closures naturally will happen overnight as needed, with ample notice provided.

Meanwhile, work outside the traveling lanes continue in a number of areas: bridge support columns and caps at Thousand Oaks; setting barrier at Rittiman; bridge support structures at the I-410 interchange; road widening at several locations.

Several areas, such as this new configuration for the northbound exit to Randolph Boulevard and Windcrest, are underway behind barriers and away from the traveling public.

One thing to note: the entire project has a 55-mile-per-hour speed limit! We even have digital speed trailers set up to show you your speed and remind you to slow down. More often than not, these trailers are showing speeds of 65- or 70-mph. We can't stress this enough: SLOW DOWN! It's always better to just slow down rather than get a reminder from one of San Antonio's finest....

Please note the speed limit through the work zone is 55 MPH. This is set for safety reasons. Please help us make sure everyone on our project gets to return home from work safely every single day!

Wurzbach Parkway progress

Wetmore to Jones-Maltsberger

Through the week crews with Texas Sterling will be working on curbs and sidewalks at the intersection of Wurzbach and Jones-Maltsberger, with hopes to have J-M opened up to two lanes each way by the start of next week. This will bring much-needed relief to traffic that has been squeezed down to a single lane each way more than a year and a half. More work, by Williams Brothers, may bring occasional interruptions ... but those should be minor.

Jones-Maltsberger will soon be opened back up to a four-lane road....

More concrete crews will be working on the road - a concrete paving slab - and walkway near the city's brush site. This includes the right-in, right-out driveway and acceleration/deceleration lane cut outs. Traffic headed to the site will continue reaching the dump as they have been, but drivers should be aware of the constantly changing work zone. 

Even more concrete crews are working at Mud Creek, hoping to have the westbound bridge structure finished later this month. Road crews will still need to finish the new westbound lanes passing McAllister Park and Buckhorn Drive before we can open the bridge for traffic. Project supervisors are hoping to have that stretch of the roadway built by mid-summer this year. Roadway lighting and overhead highway signs will likely be set up by electricians before traffic will be opened onto the new westbound lanes.

The Mud Creek bridge construction continues to progress, and the connector for Salado Creek Greenway will be completed this summer.

Jones-Maltsberger to West Ave.

The hike-and-bike trail continues to progress, so that the parkway's opening will also mean the connection of McAllister Park to Walker Ranch Park come summer 2015. In some spots - like the area immediately east of U.S. 281 - this means we have work happening in the ground and in the air.

While bridge work continues to the east and west of U.S. 281, Williams Brothers' progress on the overpass at Jones-Maltsberger continues to move quickly. Bridge crews are setting deck panels this week with the goal to pour concrete to fill out the deck later this month. The bridge crew superintendent has said he intends to get all the structures surrounding Jones-Maltsberger ready for concrete before actually pouring concrete; the preference is to pour all the bridge decks at one time rather than piece the bridge together.

Work on the Jones-Maltsberger overpass is beginning to progress quickly.

None of that really impacts daily traffic, though. The work most impactful on the daily commute of folks is along U.S. 281. That said ... most of that work is out of the way of the current and open travel lanes. Work comtinues at the Nakoma overpass - electricians are busy ensuring all the power lines are in the right places for lights to be installed under the bridge when work is complete.

Crews building the drain system between the northbound frontage road and main lanes are nearing the end of their work, which will allow the construction of the new northbound exit ramp to Bitters Road to move forward. The new entrance ramp from Nakoma (a braided ramp with the Bitters exit) is being built, with bridge support structures starting to go up.

Next week's construction-related closures

Interstate 10

Monday-Friday, May 5-9

9 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. daily

Westbound frontage road between Huebner Road and Loop 1604 (northwest San Antonio)

Alternating lanes will close while crews move barrier and lay pipe. This closure includes the exit ramp to Woodstone Drive. Traffic will use the next available ramp and turn around. This closure includes the east-to-west turnaround at Huebner Road. Traffic will move through the intersection to turn around.

Monday-Friday, May 5-9

9 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. daily

Eastbound frontage road between Huebner Road and Loop 1604 (northwest San Antonio)

Alternating lanes will close while crews move barrier and build storm drain. This closure includes the exit and entrance ramps around DeZavala Road. Traffic will use the next available ramp and turn around.

Monday-Friday, May 5-9

9 p.m. until 5:30 a.m. nightly

Westbound frontage road between Huebner Road and Loop 1604 (northwest San Antonio)

Alternating lanes will close while crews move barrier and place asphalt. This closure includes, as needed, the exit ramps to Woodstone Drive and DeZavala Road and the entrance ramp from UTSA Boulevard. Traffic will use the next available ramp. Expect delays.

Monday-Friday, May 5-9

9 p.m. until 5:30 a.m. nightly

Eastbound frontage road between Huebner Road and Loop 1604 (northwest San Antonio)

Alternating lanes will close while crews move barrier and build storm drain. This closure includes the exit and entrance ramps around DeZavala Road. Traffic will use the next available ramp and turn around.

Monday-Friday May 5-9

9 p.m. until 5:30 a.m. nightly

Eastbound main lanes between Loop 1604 and Fredericksburg Road (northwest San Antonio)

Alternating lanes will close while crews move barrier and place asphalt. This closure includes, as needed, the DeZavala exit and entrance ramps and the Fredericksburg exit ramp. Traffic will use the next available ramp and turn around.

Monday-Friday May 5-9

9 p.m. until 5:30 a.m. nightly

Westbound main lanes between Loop 1604 and Fredericksburg Road (northwest San Antonio)

Alternating lanes will close while crews move barrier and place asphalt. This closure includes, as needed, the UTSA Boulevard exit and entrance ramps and the DeZavala exit ramp. Traffic will use the next available ramp and turn around.

Monday-Friday, May 5-9

9 a.m. until 4 p.m. daily

Eastbound frontage road at Loop 1604 (east San Antonio)

Alternating lanes will close while crews mill and repave the frontage road. This closure includes the eastbound exit ramp to Loop 1604. Traffic will exit FM 1518 and turnaround to reach Loop 1604. Expect delays.

Monday-Friday, May 5-9

9 p.m. until 5:30 a.m. nightly

Westbound frontage road between New Braunfels Avenue and Roland Avenue (east San Antonio)

The left lane will close while crews set barrier. Expect delays.

Interstate 35

Sunday-Friday, May 4-9

9 p.m. until 5:30 a.m. nightly

Main lanes, both directions, between FM 3009 and Olympia Parkway (Selma-Schertz)

Alternating lanes will close while crews patch bridge railing and construct center median barriers. Expect delays.

Monday-Friday, May 5-9

9 a.m. until 4 p.m. daily

Northbound exit to FM 3009 (Schertz)

The right exit lane to FM 3009 will close while crews build sidewalk along the northbound frontage road. The left exit lane will remain open.

Tuesday-Wednesday, May 6-7

9 p.m. until 5 a.m.

Southbound main lanes between Eisenhauer and exit to I-410 south (northeast San Antonio)

Two left lanes will close while crews place barrier and remove the overhead highway sign. Expect delays.

Tuesday-Wednesday, May 6-7

9 p.m. until 5 a.m.

Northbound main lanes between George Beach and Rittiman Road (northeast San Antonio)

Two left lanes will close while crews place barrier. Expect delays.

Tuesday-Friday, May 6-9

9 p.m. until 5 a.m. nightly

Frontage road, both directions, at Rittiman Road (northeast San Antonio)

The left lane will close while crews install concrete barriers. Crews will be closing the turnarounds at Rittiman Road for the next phase of work.

Wednesday-Thursday, May 7-8

9 p.m. until 6 a.m.

Southbound main lanes between Walnut Street and Rueckle Road (New Braunfels)

Alternating lanes will close while crews install overhang forms to assist with bridge construction. The ramps will remain open during these times. Expect minor delays.

Thursday-Friday, May 8-9

9 p.m. until 6 a.m.

Northbound main lanes between Solms Road and Rueckle Road (New Braunfels)

Alternating lanes will close while crews install overhang forms to assist with bridge construction. The ramps will remain open during these times. Expect minor delays.

Interstate 37

No closures scheduled.

Interstate 410

Tuesday-Wednesday, May 6-7

9 p.m. until 5 a.m.

Eastbound main lanes between exit to southbound I-35 and Randolph Boulevard (northeast San Antonio)

The right lane will close while crews remove barrier. This closure includes the exit to Randolph Boulevard. Traffic will exit Starlight Terrace and use the turnaround. Expect delays.

Loop 1604

Monday-Thursday, May 5-8

9 a.m. until 3 p.m. daily

Main lanes, both directions, between Emory Peak and Spurs Ranch/Big Mesa (far west Bexar County)

The left lane will be closed while crews build curb and sidewalk. Expect delays.

Wednesday-Thursday, May 7-8

9 p.m. until 5:30 a.m.

Exit ramps, both directions, to northbound I-35 (Selma)

The exit ramps will be closed while crews install signs and lighting. Traffic will use Pat Booker Road to reach northbound I-35. Expect delays.

U.S. Highway 90

No closures scheduled.

U.S. Highway 281

Sunday-Friday, May 4-9

9 p.m. until 5:30 a.m. nightly

Northbound main lanes between Hildebrand Avenue and Sunset (downtown)

Alternating lanes will close while crews replace expansion joints and sealants on bridges. Expect delays.

Other roads

Friday-Saturday, May 2-3

9 p.m. until 5:30 a.m.

Jones-Maltsberger between Arion Parkway and Old Bitters Road (north San Antonio)

Jones-Maltsberger will be completely closed while bridge crews set deck panels to form the Wurzbach Parkway overpass at Jones-Maltsberger. Traffic will use Arion Parkway, the U.S. Highway 281 frontage road and Bitters Road to reach its destination. Expect delays.

Sunday-Saturday, May 4-10

8 p.m. until 5 a.m. nightly

Fredericksburg Road, both directions, between Louis Pasteur and Data Point (Medical Center)

Alternating lanes will close while crews build bridge support structures. Expect delays.

Thursday-Sunday, May 8-11

8 p.m. until 5 a.m. nightly

Medical Drive, both directions, between Fredericksburg Road and Ewing Halsell (Medical Center)

Alternating lanes will close while crews mill and repave the road. Expect delays.

All planned lane closures are pending weather.

Fred-Med: major traffic switch coming

Those headed to Bluff Creek Towers will find their lower parking lot area finished by Saturday, including having the driveway at full width at the top of the hill. Traffic into the driveway will follow a path similar to the original alignment of the driveway for the time being. Crews are moving along to the upper portion of the parking lot and will be pressing to have the road at the bottom of the hill finished in order to move the Bluff Creek driveway to its final layout later this month.

Folks at Bluff Creek will notice changes - advancements - in work surrounding the driveway and parking lot for that property.

So much for the narrow view ... here's what's going on with the rest of the project for the masses:

Beginning next weekend (May 9-10) crews will begin milling and resurfacing the road on Medical Drive near Ewing Halsell. That will be almost the last task to finish before the first major traffic switch on the project....

Next weekend Texas Sterling Construction will have a series of closures to allow them to remove the center median on Medical Drive near Ewing Halsell. The contractor will also repave the roadway in this area.

Phase II

In about two weeks crews will switch traffic over onto the future westbound portion of Medical Drive, marking the end of Phase I and the start of Phase II.

While this will not impact daily traffic much beyond actually moving traffic lanes over; we will be keeping the single lane each way on the hill and two lanes each way west of Fredericksburg Road. The work will mean we need to close the driveways onto Medical Drive for the business complex that houses the UPS Store and others; we will maintain their acces on Fredericksburg Road for these businesses.

Traffic will be pushed far to the left of this view when Phase II begins in two weeks.

This phase will take us through the summer for work, and we will open up traffic into the next configuration this fall. That configuration will essentially put traffic on both eastbound and westbound approaches from Medical Drive to Fredericksburg Road, leaving the 'main lanes' of Medical vacant for work.

Crews are working quickly to have the area to the right ready to carry traffic by mid-May.

During Phase II crews will focus on constructing the future eastbound side of Medical Drive, which will look a lot like what things on the westbound side looks like. This will mean heavy excavation, including drilling and milling work. This will include night work. Before that heavy excavation can happen, utility crews will adjust water lines, gas lines, storm drain and sewer. Service interrumptions will be brief and will be coordinated through SAWS and property owners.

Fred Road bridge

Crews continue building the support structures for the Fredericksburg Road bridge. Those structures are under the large steel plates spanning the intersection of Fred and Med. Bridge builders will soon begin building a "slide pad" to accommodate a new bridge building technique planned for this intersection. We'll post more on this technique as we get closer to the bridge-building phases of work.

This trench is active all the way through Fredericksburg Road, covered with steel plates. Crews are working in the trench to build bridge support structures for the underpass that's being built at this intersection.

For a 360-degree view of the area and work, click here.

Loop 1604 update

We haven't posted anything, really, since the project broke ground in March. Since then we've seen a lot of survey work happen and, about a week and a half ago, our contractor set barrier along the south end of the project (between Culebra and Shaenfield roads). It's time to get an update out!

What will be the north/eastbound frontage road between Culebra and Shaenfield roads has been cleared of brush and trees. Dirt crews will begin to work here next week.

Last week crews started trimming trees and brush along what will become the northbound frontage road between Culebra and Shaenfield roads. That trimming was followed by early dirt work as road-builders begin laying out the footprint for that road. Over the next three weeks, expect to see more dirt moving as crews begin building that frontage road.

Leslie Road, which runs from Wild Horse to Culebra Road with an interruption at Shaenfield Road, will be converted to a one-way road as early as this month.

Work on the southbound frontage road - including converting Leslie Road to one-way - is expected to happen by June. We'll have more information on that conversion as we get nearer to the conversion date (the contractor is waiting in consultants to finish plans for the southbound frontage roads, including sequence of work, to set work dates).

Some of the most readily visible work on the project is the dirt work done for the approach on the north/east side of Braun Road.

Dirt crews are also working on the overpass approaches at Braun Road. That embankment work will continue for the next several weeks. None of that work is anticipated to interfere with traffic. 

For now, at least, the work that's ongoing is outside the active travel lanes. We expect most of the work to avoid active traffic until we begin working aggressively on the overpasses at Braun, New Guilbeau and Shaenfield.

That's the good news with work we have moving right now: nothing is interfering with traffic right now. Everything we have moving is outside the active lanes of construction.