Next week's construction-related closures

I-10

• Monday-Friday, March 2-6. 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. nightly. Main lanes, both directions, at Ralph Fair Road (Leon Springs). Alternating lanes will close while crews do bridge work.
• Sunday-Friday, March 1-9. 8:30 p.m. until 5:30 a.m. nightly. Main lanes, both directions, between Huebner Road and UTSA Boulevard (northwest San Antonio). Alternating lanes will close for road work.
• Sunday-Friday, March 1-9. 8:30 p.m. until 5:30 a.m. nightly. Frontage road, both directions between Loop 1604 and Huebner Road (northwest San Antonio). Alternating lanes will close for road work.
• Monday-Friday, March 2-6. 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. daily. Frontage road, both directions, between Loop 1604 and Huebner Road (northwest San Antonio). Alternating lanes will close for road work.
• Saturday-Monday, March 7-9. 5 a.m. until 5 a.m. continuous. Main lanes, both directions, at Ralph Fair Road (northwest San Antonio). All lanes will close while crews pour concrete on the Ralph Fair Road overpass. Traffic will exit Ralph Fair Road, pass through the intersection, and re-enter the main lanes of traffic.

I-35

• Sunday-Friday, March 1-6. 9 p.m. until 5 a.m. nightly. Northbound main lanes between George Beach and Rittiman Road (northeast San Antonio). Alternating lanes will close while crews do cement work.
• Sunday-Friday, March 1-6. 9 p.m. until 5 a.m. nightly. Southbound main lanes between Eisenhauer and George Beach (northeast San Antonio). Alternating lanes will close while crews repair the crash cushion.
• Monday-Friday, March 2-6. 9 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. daily. Southbound frontage road between Rittiman Road and George Beach. Alternating lanes will close while crews repair the roadway.
• Monday-Friday, March 2-6. 9 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. daily. Northbound exit ramp to westbound I-410 (Windcrest). The right lanes will close while crews place guardrail.
• Monday-Friday, March 2-6. 9 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. daily. Northbound frontage road at Eisenhauer (northeast San Antonio). Alternating lanes will close while crews stripe the roadway and place barrier.

I-37

• Monday-Tuesday, March 2-3. 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. daily. Northbound main lanes between Southton Road and U.S. Highway 181 (south Bexar County). The left lane will close while crews work on the cable median barrier.
• Monday-Friday, March 2-6. 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. daily. Southbound main lanes between mile markers Hardy Road and FM 536 (north Atascosa County). The left lane will close while crews work on the cable median barrier.

I-410

• Sunday-Friday, March 1-6. 9 p.m. until 5 a.m. nightly. Eastbound exit ramp to northbound I-35 (Windcrest). The right lane will close while crews repair crash cushions.
• Sunday-Friday, March 1-6. 9 p.m. until 5 a.m. nightly. Northbound connector to northbound I-35 (northeast San Antonio). All lanes will close while crews move barrier. Traffic will exit Space Center and move through the Rittiman Road intersection, then enter the northbound I-35 main lanes.
• Monday-Friday, March 2-6. 9 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. daily. Northbound frontage road between Binz-Engleman and Rittiman Road (northeast San Antonio). Alternating lanes will close while crews build curb and place asphalt.
• Sunday-Friday, March 1-6. 9 p.m. until 5 a.m. nightly. Northbound frontage road between Binz-Engleman and Rittiman Road (northeast San Antonio). Alternating lanes will close while crews build curb and place asphalt.

U.S. Hwy 281

• Friday-Monday, February 27-March 2. 9 p.m. until 5 a.m. continuous. Southbound main lanes between Jones-Maltsberger and Hildebrand (north-central San Antonio). Alternating lanes will close while crews repair the roadway.

Other roads

• Monday, March 2. 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. Highway 46, both directions, at Business 87 (Boerne). Alternating lanes will close while crews move barrier.
• Monday-Tuesday, March 2-3. 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. daily. Northbound Wurzbach Parkway between Blanco Road and West Avenue. Alternating lanes will close while crews do road work.
• Monday-Monday, March 2-9. 7 p.m. until 5 a.m. nightly. Medical Drive, both directions, between Ewing Halsell and Fairhaven (Medical Center). Alternating lanes will close for road work.
• Monday-Monday, March 2-9. 7 p.m. until 5 a.m. nightly. Fredericksburg Road, both directions, between Louis Pasteur and Data Point (Medical Center). Alternating lanes will close for road work.
• Friday-Monday, March 6-9. 7 p.m. until 5 a.m. continuous. Medical Drive, both directions, between Ewing Halsell and Fredericksburg Road (Medical Center). Alternating lanes will close for concrete work.
• Saturday-Monday, March 7-9. 5 a.m. until 5 a.m. continuous. Ralph Fair Road, both directions, between Old Fredericksburg Road and I-10 (northwest San Antonio). All lanes will close while crews pour concrete on the Ralph Fair Road overpass bridge deck. Traffic will use Old Fredericksburg Road to Aue Road or to the I-10 frontage road.
• Monday, March 9. 8 a.m. Alameda Street, both directions, at Loop 1604 (northwest San Antonio). All lanes will close for three weeks while crews build the roadway. Traffic will reach Alameda Street off of Braun Road.

All closures are pending weather.

The next big I-10 closure (tentatively) scheduled

The next major closure of I-10 at Ralph Fair Road will be the last, and has been scheduled by Sundt for March 7-9.

The cold front earlier this week and forecasts of wet weather early next week could push the date back a week, but for now project managers are pushing to be ready for March 7. The closure will allow Sundt to safely pour concrete to make up the remaining portion of the Ralph Fair Road bridge deck over I-10. The main lanes of I-10 will close in both directions to mitigate the risk of concrete and other materials falling onto cars passing by.

Crews will close the main lanes of I-10 early Saturday morning and will re-open the highway as soon as they are cleared to do so. Sundt has scheduled crews for the closure through Monday morning at 5 a.m. Drivers should expect the highway to be closed through the weekend. Ralph Fair Road will also close at Old Fredericksburg Road to allow I-10 traffic to move freely through the intersections at Ralph Fair Road. This is the same traffic pattern we've followed for previous closures:

This is the last of several closures at this location, giving folks driving through the area a hint work is nearly finished. Once the bridge deck is poured crews have just a few major items remaining before they'll be ready to have the bridge opened and in use:

• The "rail" - or concrete barrier - will need to be formed and built (takes about 3 weeks to do)
• Tie-ins on the bridge and the bridge approaches will need to be constructed, involving concrete and asphalt work
• Roadway markings - paint, etc. - will need to be placed
• Signs on and around the bridge will need to be installed (one of the last things we do)
• Electrical systems need to be installed and wired
• New signal poles and mast arms need to be erected

All told, the work should be wrapped up by the start of summer. Sundt will use overnight closures to build the rail along the edges of the bridge; those closures will only require a single lane at a time. When it's time to open the bridge, we'll have a weekend of closures on the frontage roads and on Ralph Fair Road. That work hasn't yet been scheduled.

Again, here are the major highlights:

Next major closure of I-10 main lanes at Ralph Fair Road is scheduled for March 7-9.

Poor weather could push this work back a week.

This is the last major closure of I-10 associated with the Ralph Fair Road project.

A chance for input on the future of I-35

If you're one of those who'd like to let us know how we should go about developing I-35 on the northeast side of town - specifically between George Beach near SAMMC and FM 1103 in Schertz - you'll want to attend an upcoming public hearing on the plan TxDOT is developing.

The proposed project would add four elevated managed lanes (two lanes in each direction) to the existing highway between the south I-410 interchange and FM 1103. Direct connectors are included at the intersections of  I-35 and I-410 (south), I-35 and I-410 (north, near Windcrest), and at the intersection of I-35 and Loop 1604.

Managed lanes are being proposed as one way to potentially fund a development of this sort.

Public hearings allow anyone impacted by the project to hear a formal presentation about what is proposed, then leave comments. Comments may be submitted in writing or may be given online. While this hearing will take place at a physical location - Morgan's Wonderland Event Center - it will also be conducted virtually. Those wishing to join online my do so at www.i35northeast.com. The online hearing will be available February 26 through March 9.

The in-person hearing will take place at the Morgan's Wonderland Event Center on Thursday, Feb. 26, beginning at 5 p.m. The formal presentation will be delivered at 6 p.m., and TxDOT staff will hear comments from the public until the comments have been exhausted.

If there are any questions, contact Laura Lopez at 210.615.5839.

Particulars:
Date - Thursday, Feb. 26
Time - 5 until 6 p.m., open house. Formal presentation at 6 p.m.
Location - Morgan's Wonderland Event Center Conference Room, 5223 David Edwards Drive, San Antonio
Online - www.i35northeast.com between Feb. 26 and March 9
Materials - Hard copies of the maps, drawings, environmental reports and other documents may be viewed in person at the TxDOT San Antonio District Office located at 4615 NW Loop 410, San Antonio. This may be done Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. until 5 p.m.

Loop 1604 development - the fuss near Braun Rd

Over the last couple of weeks daily commuters along Lp 1604 on the city's northwest side have seen slow-downs between New Guilbeau and Braun roads, leading to some backups extending south to Helotes Creek and north to Bandera Road at peak traffic hours.

The interruption comes from work on the frontage roads at the north end of the job, which have caused Williams Brothers Construction to take out one lane in each direction between Braun and New Guilbeau roads. The taken lane allows for a safe work area as road builders install underground drain structures.

Work on the underground drain structures just south of Braun Road, and on the southbound frontage road, has caused Williams Brothers to squeeze Loop 1604 to just two lanes between Braun Road and New Guilbeau.

This work on underground drain structures will also require the temporary closure of Amelia Pass at Loop 1604 (the small road by Sonic) beginning next week. Traffic will reach Amelia Pass from Braun Road, or may access the local businesses through the driveway and parking lot adjacent to Amelia Pass.

In order to accommodate the advance work WB is doing on the future overpass at Braun Road, the turnarounds will need to close through the month of March. Traffic will simply move through the intersection to turn around. Northbound traffic may also use the superstreet turnaround.

The turnarounds at Braun Road will close through the month of March while crews work on the bridge supports for the future Braun Road overpass.

Work on frontage roads - the primary push for our project right now - means the first major traffic switch on this project could come as soon as the start of summer. If work continues at the current pace, Williams Brothers should be ready to switch traffic onto the frontage roads project-wide by the start of summer. Traffic flows should return to near normal at that point, freeing up some of the slow spots of late.

If work continues on its current pace, the frontage roads - including the bridges at Helotes Creek - will be in use by the start of summer. This is a look at the southbound frontage road at Helotes Creek.

The traffic shift won't change the superstreet operation at the intersections of Shaenfield and New Guilbeau roads, and drivers should have at least two lanes of traffic to use in each direction (with some added turn lanes at intersections). In fact, the shift won't change the commute patterns for most drivers in the area beyond shifting the lanes outward to open up work on what will be the main lanes.

With traffic on the frontage roads, bridge crews can move in to work on the overpasses. Project managers anticipate all overpasses to open at once, and not have a progressive opening with each opening one at a time. The overall project is on pace to be finished the end of 2016.

151-1604

Survey work on the Hwy 151-Lp 1604 intersection is underway. Tree-trimmers are out this week cutting necessary trees to prepare for the work. Project managers expect full-steam construction work to be underway by spring break.

Next week's construction-related closures

I-10

• Friday-Monday, February 20-23. 8:30 p.m. until 5:30 a.m. continuous. Eastbound frontage road between Loop 1604 and UTSA Boulevard (northwest San Antonio). The right lanes will close while crews place asphalt. This includes the driveways to Costco. Shoppers will reach Costco from UTSA Boulevard.
• Friday-Monday, February 20-23. 8:30 p.m. until 5:30 a.m. continuous. Eastbound main lanes between Loop 1604 and UTSA Boulevard (northwest San Antonio). Alternating lanes will close while crews place asphalt. This includes the entrance ramp from UTSA Boulevard. This includes the exit ramp to UTSA Boulevard. Traffic will exit DeZavala Road and turn around to reach UTSA; traffic from UTSA Boulevard will continue through DeZavala to reach the main lanes.
• Saturday, February 21. 7 a.m. until noon. Westbound main lanes between Roland Avenue and Gevers Street (east San Antonio). The right lane will close while crews repair a crash cushion. This includes the exit for Gevers Street. Traffic will exit Roland Avenue and follow the access road to Gevers.
• Monday-Friday, February 23-27. 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. nightly. Main lanes, both directions, at Ralph Fair Road (Leon Springs). Alternating lanes will close while crews do bridge work.
• Sunday-Friday, February 22-27. 8:30 p.m. until 5:30 a.m. nightly. Main lanes, both directions, between Huebner Road and UTSA Boulevard (northwest San Antonio). Alternating lanes will close for road work.
• Sunday-Friday, February 22-27. 8:30 p.m. until 5:30 a.m. nightly. Frontage road, both directions between Loop 1604 and Huebner Road (northwest San Antonio). Alternating lanes will close for road work.
• Monday-Friday, February 23-27. 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. daily. Frontage road, both directions, between Loop 1604 and Huebner Road (northwest San Antonio). Alternating lanes will close for road work.

U.S. Hwy 281

• Saturday, February 21. 7 a.m. until noon. Southbound frontage road between Bitters Road and Nakoma Drive (north-central San Antonio). The left lane will close while crews do roadwork. This closure includes the entrance ramp from Bitters Road. Traffic will continue through Nakoma Drive and enter the highway.

Other roads

• Monday-Saturday, February 23-28. 7 p.m. until 5 a.m. nightly. Medical Drive, both directions, between Ewing Halsell and Fairhaven (Medical Center). Alternating lanes will close for road work.
• Monday-Saturday, February 16-21. 7 p.m. until 5 a.m. nightly. Fredericksburg Road, both directions, between Louis Pasteur and Data Point (Medical Center). Alternating lanes will close for road work.
• Friday-Monday, February 27-March 2. 7 p.m. until 5 a.m. continuous. Medical Drive, both directions, between Ewing Halsell and Fredericksburg Road (Medical Center). Alternating lanes will close for concrete work.

All closures are pending weather.

Open house scheduled for I-10 Fair Oaks Ranch projects

An open house featuring details of proposed improvements to I-10 between Fair Oaks Parkway and Ralph Fair Road will be held Thursday night, Feb. 19, at 5 o'clock.

The meeting will be held at Spring Creek United Methodist Church at 28970 Old Fredericksburg Road in Fair Oaks Ranch. Subject matter experts, such as the designing engineers, will be on hand to answer detailed questions about the projects.

Proposed are an overpass at Old Fredericksburg Road - about halfway between Ralph Fair Road and Fair Oaks Parkway - and the conversion of frontage roads along I-10 to one-way. An expanded bridge at Fair Oaks Parkway (similar to the expansion now being done at Ralph Fair Road) is also being planned.

The goal of the open house is to allow stakeholders - folks who live, work or play in the area - a first-person look at the concept design and to hear what folks have to say about the project as a whole.

DeZavala turnarounds on I-10 by March....

A huge shout-out to Webber Construction, who got the west-bound I-10 bridge over DeZavala Road finished and reopened in just four months; they had been alotted six.

This is the same achievement they reached on the eastbound side last year. All told, they finished a full year's worth of work in a little more than 8 months. Whatever the struggles of the I-10 Huebner project have been over the last three years, this is a huge win for those driving through the area.

As of Monday morning Webber had the UTSA Blvd exit opened westbound lanes over DeZavala in close to their final configuration. There will be some smaller adjustments in the future, but for the most part the westbound side of I-10 is what it's going to look like long-term.

The eastbound lanes still have work remaining, and most of that will take place in the upcoming weeks. This includes a new entrance ramp from UTSA Blvd (traffic is using a temporary ramp today) and a finished concrete median barrier. That work has the main lanes restricted to just three lanes. Those driving through might take some comfort in knowing we are not quite finished, but we should be by mid-March. That will mean one more weekend set of closures, but we anticipate the next set to be much less invasive than this passed weekend.

On that note, let's address what occurred over the weekend to make things as rough as it was. To be sure, traffic through I-10 at DeZavala was at its worst in this project's three-year history. Scheduling gaffes on part of a contractor and an oversight in traffic control along the frontage roads have been identified as contributory to the gridlock that occurred. These issues have been addressed at length with project personnel at all management levels.

Coming up on the eastbound side Webber will close the UTSA Blvd exit ramp and the right lane of the frontage road approaching UTSA Blvd. This will keep the driveways off the frontage road to Costco locked for at least a week, beginning this weekend. Those headed to buy in bulk may reach Costco from UTSA Blvd. When the work is done, the new east-to-west turnaround will be opened and the roadwork will be done except for its final asphalt surface.

As for those turnarounds....

We have some asphalt left to lay down, along with a few other items to wrap up before having those opened. We wanted to have them open along with last weekend's work, but that clearly I didn't happen.

We are told by Webber that, pending weather, we can have the turnarounds in play by the end of the month.

Next week's construction-related closures

I-10

• Friday-Monday, February 13-16. 8:30 p.m. until 5:30 a.m. continuous. Frontage road, both directions, between Huebner Road and Loop 1604 (northwest San Antonio). Alternating lanes will close while crews move traffic lanes to a new configuration.
• Friday-Monday, February 13-16. 8:30 p.m. until 5:30 a.m. continuous. Main lanes, both directions, between Huebner Road and Loop 1604 (northwest San Antonio). Alternating lanes, two at a time, will close while crews move traffic lanes into a new configuration.
• Monday-Friday, February 16-20. 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. nightly. Main lanes, both directions, at Ralph Fair Road (Leon Springs). Alternating lanes will close while crews do bridge work.
• Sunday-Friday, February 15-20. 8:30 p.m. until 5:30 a.m. nightly. Main lanes, both directions, between Huebner Road and UTSA Boulevard (northwest San Antonio). Alternating lanes will close for road work.
• Sunday-Friday, February 15-20. 8:30 p.m. until 5:30 a.m. nightly. Frontage road, both directions between Loop 1604 and Huebner Road (northwest San Antonio). Alternating lanes will close for road work.
• Monday-Friday, February 16-20. 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. daily. Frontage road, both directions, between Loop 1604 and Huebner Road (northwest San Antonio). Alternating lanes will close for road work.

I-37

• Wednesday-Friday, February 18-20. 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. daily. Northbound main lanes between Southton Road and U.S. Highway 181 (southeast Bexar County). The left lane will close while crews work on the cable median barrier.

I-410

• Monday-Tuesday, February 16-17. 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. daily. Southbound main lanes at state Highway 151 (west San Antonio). The right lane will close while crews do survey work.

U.S. Hwy 281

• Wednesday-Thursday, February 18-19. 9 p.m. until 5 a.m. Southbound main lanes between Bitters Road and Nakoma Drive. All lanes will close while crews install overhead highway signs. Traffic will exit Bitters Road and re-enter the highway after passing through Nakoma Drive.

Other roads

• Monday-Saturday, February 16-21. 8 p.m. until 5 a.m. nightly. Medical Drive, both directions, between Ewing Halsell and Fairhaven (Medical Center). Alternating lanes will close for road work.
• Monday-Saturday, February 16-21. 8 p.m. until 5 a.m. nightly. Fredericksburg Road, both directions, between Louis Pasteur and Data Point (Medical Center). Alternating lanes will close for road work.

All closures are pending weather.

Projects coming up

We have a lot of projects that are nearing completion - I-10 Huebner, both remaining segments of Wurzbach Parkway, Fred-Med and I-10 Ralph Fair Road should all be finished in the next six months or thereabouts - bringing significant relief to drivers along some of our key corridors.

But that doesn't mean we relax any time soon. Over the next year, we will see a string of projects begin that will address congestion and improve safety along corridors of significant growth now and in the future. Some of these projects have been programmed into the regional budget in advance; four projects are moving forward by virtue of voter-approved Prop 1.

Here's a quick run-down of what's coming up:

UTSA Boulevard

This is part of an $800 million proposal announced more than a year ago - once UTSA Boulevard is developed, it will be turned over to the city of San Antonio. For now, however, the segment between I-10 and Edward Ximines Drive - also known as Spur 53 - is a state-maintained road.

The $9 million project will expand the road to five lanes (two lanes each way plus a center left-turn lane), add a multi-use path better connecting the area to the Leon Creek Greenway, and adds shoulder room that will accommodate bikes. Work will begin once utilities have been properly moved; the latest estimates suggest actual work on the project could begin in 6-8 weeks.

Once work begins the project will last about a year and a half - expect a completed project late 2016.

Loop 1604 at Hwy 151

This project is moving forward as an option to the design-build expansion of Loop 1604 between Bandera and Culebra roads. Williams Brothers Construction is the contractor, and they expect to begin turning dirt in March. Overall completion is slated for the end of 2016.

This project has received more than its share of attention over the last few years; the current iteration - a $45 million effort to connect drivers on Loop 1604 directly to Hwy 151 - includes a direct connector ramp from southbound Loop 1604 to eastbound Hwy 151 and a few operational improvements. The main lanes of Hwy 151 will be brought over Loop 1604 to meet with Alamo Ranch Parkway, allowing traffic headed from westbound Hwy 151 to the Alamo Ranch area to do so without going through the Culebra Road intersection. 

Loop 1604, Culebra to Potranco

Part of the same $800 million package involving UTSA Boulevard, this will expand Loop 1604 to a four-lane expressway with continuous frontage roads to Potranco Road on the far west side of San Antonio.

The project will essentially continue what's already being done between Bandera and Culebra roads, adding non-tolled lanes with overpasses at a few locations. This project is still in the design phases, though it is slated to be finished and ready for bidders early summer. We could have contractors on board as early as July, which means construction will begin in the fall.

This project will take more than two years to complete and has a similar timeline to the expansion of Loop 1604 between Bandera and Culebra roads. That project started early 2014 and is set to wrap up late 2016.


FM 1101

This is a little north of most San Antonians' wheelhouse ... but it's a road that goes through three separate school zones in New Braunfels. This project focuses on the stretch between Hwy 46 and FM 306 on the northeast side of town.

The $7.6 million project is also waiting on utilities to be moved so it can begin, which will also happen this spring. Work will take somewhere around a year and a half once it starts. The finished product will hold the same single lane in each direction as currently exists, but it will add a center left-turn lane. Also included in the project are sidewalks and bike lanes - critical features to help school-goers travel safely along the growing corridor.

I-10 at Old Fred Road

Moving forward, this project will be dubbed (on this blog, at least) the "Old Fred Road" project. The $29.4 million project comes from the recent Proposition 1 vote and will construct a new overpass at Old Fredericksburg Road northwest of San Antonio. The finished project will see the main lanes of I-10 over a new crossover that connects Old Fredericksburg Road with the westbound side of the highway.

Additionally, the frontage roads between Ralph Fair Road and Fair Oaks Parkway will be converted to one-way. A public meeting is scheduled to allow folks in the area a face-to-face opportunity with engineers designing the project. That meeting will be Thursday, February 19 from 5 until 7 p.m. at the Spring Creek United Methodist Church.

We are scheduled to seek a contractor this summer; actual construction is likely to begin toward the end of the year.

Highway 151 at I-410

Of the four Prop 1 projects announced for our area this year, this project seems to be the least understood. The official description called for expanding I-410 by a lane in each direction, and this project will do that - at least between Hwy 151 and West Military Drive.

The project, which carries a price tag of about $75 million, will also add direct connector ramps from eastbound Hwy 151 to northbound I-410 and from southbound I-410 to westbound Hwy 151. These are strategically selected ramps, focusing on the heaviest traffic flows at this intersection.

Why just two ramps, though? Why not all eight? Highway interchanges are expensive, often reaching north of $250 million. That's right ... a quarter of a billion dollars. Folks at home may recall Prop 1 gave the entire state an added $1.7 billion ... and $250 million would be nearly double the San Antonio District's share of that money.

The quick way to explain what's happening is that we're building what we can afford. Folks at home can commiserate a bit - how often do we buy the slightly used Honda rather than splurge on the BMW off the lot? How often do we settle for that 32-inch TV when we really want the 78-incher curved-screen, ultra high-definition TV?

The two ramps we're building aren't anything to scoff at, to be sure - these will get that northwest corridor moving in ways it only dreams of today. But we are, ultimately, building what we can afford right now. It's road building on a budget.

The project will be let for bidding later this year; we expect actual work to begin, at the earliest, the end of 2015.


U.S. Highway 90

The stretch of U.S. Highway 90 between I-410 and Loop 1604 on the far west side of San Antonio just might be the last remaining stretch of expressway in San Antonio proper featuring a two-way frontage road, and we want to change that.


Thanks to Prop 1, we are moving forward with a plan that will convert the frontage roads to one-way - a safety measure that's been shown to reduce the fatal and injury crashes by as much as 57 percent on the frontage roads themselves and an astounding 85 percent at intersections - along the entire stretch. This two-for-one project (we're combining two projects into one, essentially) will also develop some improvements to the intersection at U.S. 90 and Loop 1604. Both projects round out the four listed as proposed for Prop. 1 funding.

The $26 million project is set to let for bidding in May, which means we should be underway late this fall. Overall project duration will be a year and a half.

U.S. 281 North Improvements

The expansion of U.S. 281 to an expressway north of Loop 1604 (and on to the Comal County line) has been in the works for about 20 years at this point, and has hit its fair share of rocks on the road to development.

Last year (that is, January 2014) TxDOT joined with Bexar County, the city of San Antonio and the Alamo Regional Mobility Authority to announce a package of $800 million in projects over the next several years. Those projects include the UTSA expansion mentioned above, and it includes managed-lanes projects on I-10, U.S. 281 and a non-tolled expansion of Loop 1604.

The ARMA is taking the lead on this project and is managing communication for its development. The environmental impact study has recently wrapped up, and the ARMA is nearing readiness to move this project to construction phases. More information, including a project schematic, may be found on the ARMA Web page.