Mail Bag: A whole lot of I-10 stuff, FM 1103 at I-35, US 281 at the Guadalupe River

I'm curious about some of the project dates on this web site. On the Upcoming Projects page, the project to build the bridge over I-10 at Balcones Creek Road and convert the frontage roads to one-way between Fair Oaks Parkway and the Bexar-Kendall county line is scheduled to start in 2018. The project to expand the US 87 and TX 46 bridges over I-10 and convert the frontage roads to one-way between Scenic Loop Road and TX 46 is also scheduled to start in 2018.
However, the project to convert the frontage roads to one-way between Scenic Loop Road and the Bexar-Kendall county line is shown as starting in 2026. Is that a mistake, or will the other projects actually take 8 years to complete before this project is required?
Also, can you share an estimated completion date for the Fair Oaks Parkway bridge over I-10?
- Lee
Those dates are drawn from our project tracker, which pulls from our Unified Transportation Program. The UTP is updated every year and gives a comprehensive look at our 5- and 10-year plans. The middle segment, between Scenic Loop Road and the Bexar-Kendall county line, is placed last on the list of segments to be finished for one-way frontage roads conversion due to budgeting constraints. We'll start before 2026 if we can secure the funds to do so.
Each of those projects, which will often move forward concurrently, will take about three years to finish (that's a generic time range for reference; each project has its own timeframe).
As for the completion of the Fair Oaks Parkway bridge over I-10, RELMCo Inc. is on pace to have that wrapped up this summer. That's summer 2018. As in just a few months from now.


First of all, thanks for the great work you do with the mailbag. It’s always a fun - and informative - read!
I’ve been curious about the use of panels on Wurzbach Parkway over Blanco Road. These are the green wall-like structures that prevent drivers on Wurzbach Pkwy from looking down onto Blanco. To put it simply: what purpose do they serve?
Similar overpasses of the Parkway over West Ave., Jones Maltsberger, Nacogdoches, and Perrin-Beitel don’t have these panels. What’s special about Blanco?
- Juan
First of all, thank you and you're welcome!

Those panels are visual barriers, preventing the headlights of evening drivers from peering into apartment windows immediately adjacent to Wurzbach Parkway right there. It also maintains some semblance of privacy for the residents. You should find similar visual barriers along the eastbound lanes of Wurzbach Parkway over Perrin-Beitel.
While there is an apartment complex at the corner of West Avenue and Wurzbach, it is set far enough back from the highway and is separated from the parkway with a strip of trees. These natural barriers eliminate the need for the visual barrier panels you're seeing at Blanco.


Who is responsible for the timing of the signals on Hausman at 1604? In both directions the signal on the near side of 1604 turns green at the same time as the signal on the far side.
- Jim
Those signals are timed by the city of San Antonio. We'll reach out to our friends there to ask they take a look at the issue.


Thank you for the post about speed limits on I-10. I think I am the only one driving 60 mph and cars ride my bumper and pass me like crazy. Please add more speed limit signs and the LED reader boards. Thank you.
- Beth
We're happy to do what we can to improve the safety along any highway corridor. We'll take a look at this and other corridors and see if there are any additional signs we can add to improve awareness of the speed limits. That said, what typically helps the most in this area is enforcement of the speed limit, which we understand will be increasing as work continues to move forward.


With the bridge replacement project on I-35 at FM 1103, we know that the turn around lanes have been added to the original project. The last we had heard the move of the exits IS NOT included on this project. The northbound 35 exit to 1103 is already too close to 1103 and adding the turnaround lane will compound that issue. Have the plans changed to address the exits or what will it take to prevent the inevitable crashes that will happen frequently on a short exit with turnaround lanes?
- Jeff

The turnarounds were included with the project when it bid and were part of the actual design of the project. They may not have been part of the package presented in public meetings but were certainly part of the plans when we got bids from contractors.
The distance between the end of the ramp and the start of the intersection, heading north, is about 600 feet. We actually have design standards giving us the desired distance at an intersection like this. The total volume of the frontage road and the ramp is less than 2,500 vehicles per hour. The total traffic volume of FM 1103 at this location is just a shave higher than 750 vehicles per hour. We have three or more lanes for traffic to weave between the ramp and the intersection.

As you can see, Table 3-16 shows we like to have at least 460 feet between the end of the ramp and the intersection at a location like this. We have about 600 feet, exceeding by more than 30 percent the design requirements for an approach like this.
Knowing we've exceeded the design criteria as we have, we are confident this location will continue to be a safe intersection enjoyed by all.


Is there any plan to go back between Huebner and DeZavala to add an entrance to I-10 west? The only entrance that is left is very dangerous with all the traffic from the Huebner area merging with the Fredericksburg road traffic to merge to get onto I-10 west then merge with all the traffic getting off at UTSA Blvd.
- Max
The short answer here, Max, is no. The distances involved out there are beyond adequate to handle what we've got, and since we've had the current configuration in place (it's been a few years) we've seen no crash data to suggest any real hazard. It's actually in line with the standard used across the country. Adding another entrance to westbound I-10 would be redundant and actually create hazards.
If you don't remember the way the road was configured prior to the project in 2012 that built I-10 between Huebner and Lp 1604 as you know it today, we actually had two on ramps from Huebner Road. We eliminated one as a way to improve safety, and that safety enhancing configuration is the one you're seeing today.


I am still wondering about the I-10 project from Ralph Fair to fair oaks Ranch. According to the info provided at the open house the schedule for this project was:

• Begin Construction ― I-10 improvements (frontage road conversion, ramp reversals, and Old Fredericksburg Rd / Buckskin Dr overpass): Fall of 2015
• Fair Oaks Pkwy Bridge: Fall of 2016
• Construction time ― I-10 improvements: Approximately 2 Years
• Construction time ― Fair Oaks Pkwy Bridge: Approximately 1 Year

That indicates that the I-10 improvements was to run from Fall 2015 2 years to Fall 2017. It is now early Spring 2018 and this project is several months from being done. It appears to me the contractor under-resourced this project from the start.
What happened? Weather can not be blamed for all this delay. What is a realistic completion date now?
-Bob
Bob, we're glad you asked. First off, timetables given at those open house meetings are based on best engineering guesses with the plans not fully fleshed out. When you got these dates we didn't have full plan sheets drawn out and the target timeframes were goals to be met.
We began work on the I-10 improvements late March 2016 - a six-month delay from our intended start date due to some utility conflicts in the area - with a timeline of just over two years. We still have a few months from time expiring on the contract. If work isn't complete at that point we'll charge liquidated damages for each day the project continues beyond the contracted completion date. While we don't decide for the contractor the resources they ought to commit to a project, the consequence at the end of the job is, essentially, the contractor working for free (which is bad business for any private business).
By the way, the Fair Oaks Parkway bridge project began early 2017 with an 18-month schedule. We are currently on track to finish before the end of the school year, which is actually a bit ahead of the contract requirement.
One last thing: You'll recall in the open house we discussed totally closing the bridge and having it built in one piece to meet that construction timeline of a year. That plan was scrapped at the behest of those attending the open house who didn't like the idea of eliminating access to the bridge long-term. We were clear at the time the requested construction process would about double the duration of the project.


What is the estimated time to completion for the work at US 281 and the Guadalupe river? Also, what is being done? Thanks.
- John
This is a project that's really run under the radar, despite being a fairly major project up in Comal County. Thanks for bringing it out for us, John.
We are updating the southbound bridge deck over the Guadalupe River. That means a new bridge deck, new bridge rail (replacing the steel barrier with concrete barrier), cleaning up the bridge structure and the like. We've also recently added some pavement repair to the scope of work on the project.
All told work should be finished next summer (that is, Summer 2019). Between now and then you'll see a variety of traffic shifts. As those happen we'll do our best to get them posted here.

Mail Bag: Ideas from New Mexico and our past; a history question

What retail businesses and restaurants can we expect on 281 N near TPC Parkway?
- Tania
Honestly, Tania, your guess is as good as ours. We can only bet the business corridor will continue to develop up that way the way it has over the last decade-plus.

Why doesn't TxDOT utilize the white canvas shields that block motorists views of construction projects? New Mexico employed these shields when the I-25/I-40 exchange was rebuilt. It minimized the traffic slowdown since motorist were no longer distracted by the construction since they could not see it.
- Vicky
You know, this question intrigued us. We got on the phone and actually called the good folks with the New Mexico Department of Transportation to chat a bit and are happy to share what we found.
First, the only major project NMDOT used these "gawk shields" (their term) was on the "Big I" project - construction of the major interchange of I-25 and I-40 in the heart of Albuquerque back in 2002. These were not widely used, and have not been used since.
Per the NMDOT, the shields were basically two-foot-tall planks of plywood fixed via two-by-fours to the top of concrete barriers along the work zones. While it did create a visual barrier to prevent gawking (thus the name of these shields), they don't comply with current safety regulations as a barricade. Those familiar with working on projects involving federal funding know such violations disqualify a project from receiving federal dollars.
So to answer your question directly, Vicky, we won't be employing Gawk Shields until we can find a way to get them to comply with federal safety standards - and, even then, it appears these shields would be used pretty sparingly.

When was the DeZavala exit closed to combine with the new Woodstone/DeZavala exit?
- Demetrio
Ah, geez, Demetrio. That's really digging into our memory banks!
Looking through posts back in 2014 it seems that happened June (or perhaps July) of 2014. We had a firm schedule for June 19, then had some weather issues that summer that pushed our work to mid-July.
That's the closest we can get through our searches. Hope that helps!

The amber color is difficult to read on the lighted road signs in many cases. Also, when there is a lot of information on the sign, there should be more than one sign (kind of like the old "Burma-Shave" signs) of many years ago where you can read ALL of the information - going too fast to read on one sign as they are now.
- Glenna

Holy smokes - those Burma-Shave signs are old-school! Those are still used by businesses around the country, though we've not used them on our projects for a number of years.
We actually have a standard we have to follow when using our portable changeable message boards. These standards are found in section 6F.60 in the Manual for Uniform Traffic Control Devices. Particular to your question, we'll look at paragraphs 11-12 and 20-21.
First, we have to keep each panel active at least two seconds (no more than eight) before changing to the next panel. We typically shoot for about four seconds, sometimes five. The lettering is supposed to be visible from about a half-mile in both day and night conditions. That's typically done by adjusting the brightness of the lights. Against the black background on these signs to provide contrast, that's our best practice.
We can use LED message boards - that's allowed, but involves some additional issues - but don't because of the increased cost. Honestly, we simply request a "portable changeable message board" and let the contractor figure out which one makes most economic sense to use.

Work on I-10 this weekend (NOT an April Fool's joke)

Beginning tonight (Friday, April 1) Angel Brothers Construction will work on the pavement on the right lane and shoulder of eastbound I-10 at Huebner Road. This work will wrap up in time for Monday's morning commute.
The work requires crews to close the right lane - and the eastbound entrance ramp from DeZavala Road and the exit ramp to USAA (560B) - through the weekend. closure will begin at 9 p.m. tonight and we'll have things back open by 5 a.m. Monday.
While we're out there, we'll also have the left lane of westbound I-10 closed at Huebner through Saturday night to connect a power circuit and get some of those street lights turned back on (we've had a few concerned drivers remark over the last few weeks they'd like to see them turned back on, and this should take care of it).

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.

I-10 projects ... a whole slew of work

I-10 through the San Antonio area is currently the most worked-on roadway in the San Antonio area. From Boerne to Seguin, we currently have six major active projects with another handful of smaller jobs to do landscape or some element of repairs.

We have another half-dozen projects waiting in the wings, with two set to start in the next year.

Here's a brief look - a snapshot (or, more appropriately, snapshots) of what we've got going on.

I-10 frontage road (Boerne)

Zimmerman Construction has been at it for about three months now (maybe four), and they've still got another four months to go. The $4.3 million project adds a westbound frontage road between U.S. Hwy 87 and Texas Hwy 46 while moving the exit ramp to Hwy 46.

Zimmerman is hard at work to build a new westbound frontage road approaching Hwy 46.

I-10 at Scenic Loop Road (Boerne)

A recent public meeting showed what we plan to do at this intersection. The end goal is to improve the I-10 overpass bridges at Scenic Loop Road, and to greatly - drastically- improve the intersection under those overpass bridges. That work is set to begin late 2015 or early 2016. We have not yet put bids on that project; we're hoping to do so by early fall this year.

When finished, this intersection will allow for a much smoother flow of traffic to accommodate growth on the south part of Boerne.

I-10 at Fair Oaks Parkway (Fair Oaks Ranch)

Another project that's on the drawing board and set to come along in the near future, this replacement and expansion of an overpass bridge is on our schedule to be let for bids late 2016. The goal of the job is to expand the Fair Oaks overpass bridge to at least five lanes (it's currently got two) and further facilitate an ongoing effort to convert frontage roads along I-10 to one-way. Once work begins, likely early 2017, the project would wrap up in about a year and a half.

The Fair Oaks Pkwy bridge will be replaced with a much - MUCH - wider bridge to meet the growth that's come in the area.

I-10 between Ralph Fair and Fair Oaks

Using funds generated by voter-approved Proposition 1, TxDOT will add a new overpass on I-10 at Old Fredericksburg Road while converting frontage roads between Ralph Fair and Fair Oaks to one-way. This project lets for bids next month, and work should begin by the end of the year. Once work begins, the project duration is anticipated to be about three years.

I-10 managed lanes

The Alamo Regional Mobility Authority is working with TxDOT planners for this project, which is likely to begin construction by the end of 2016. At this point, things are still in the review and planning process.

Ralph Fair Road bridge

Paving at the intersection of Ralph Fair and I-10 has been slow going, but that's all we really have left to do. Overnight work is being used to make this happen to minimize the impact on traffic. Once that final surface of asphalt is on the ground, we'll have things opened up in full.

The intersection of Ralph Fair Road and I-10 was set to be paved this week; that work has been pushed due to conflicts with adjacent projects. Overall completion should come before the end of the month.

I-10 between Boerne Stage Road and Dominion Drive

Well underway after only four months of real work, Texas Sterling Construction is still running at or ahead of schedule. Due to some conflicts with work done by neighboring projects, some of the planned work this week - particularly along the westbound frontage road west of Boerne Stage Road - has been rescheduled. That work will temporarily convert the frontage road between Boerne Stage and Aue roads to one-way (westbound) while crews replace the bridge over Leon Creek.

While most of the work between Boerne Stage Road and Dominion Drive is focused near Boerne Stage Road, a new turnaround and the frontage road conversion will impact traffic right at Dominion Drive.

I-10 Huebner

At this point, the work is confined to the final surface of asphalt and punch list. Overnight closures are being used for that paving work, and the punch list tasks are being done wherever and whenever possible.

Webber Construction has instructed Angel Brothers Construction, the subcontractor responsible for paving the project, to remove paving equipment from the new east-to-west turnaround at UTSA Boulevard so the turnaround can be opened up immediately; Angel Brothers has been using the turnaround as a staging area for several months, and no additional work is necessary to have the turnaround open.

Overall completion on this project is on pace to happen before school starts.

I-10 East San Antonio

The final layer of asphalt is on the ground, and all that's left at this point is final striping. That's been done, for the most part, and the project is at a point where we're just about finished up. The good news is you shouldn't see any more major closures out here.

Fresh asphalt plus fresh paint equals pretty much finished project!

I-10 at Probandt

This isn't an active construction project, but a maintenance job. The westbound entrance ramp from Probandt has been shut down since May and will continue to be closed until this fall. The reason is a drifting slope; that is, the slope that's holding up guardrail and part of the road surface has started to erode aggressively, creating a safety issue. Until the slope is repaired and stabilized, the ramp will remain closed.

The ramp isn't closed to allow for construction; it's closed for safety reasons. It will be reopened when work to repair a slope is finished.

I-10 frontage roads (Seguin)

Over the last couple of years the need for frontage roads along I-10 through Seguin has become increasingly pressing. That included last year's completion of a new westbound frontage road between Hwy 46 and FM 464, and includes a $33.4 million project to construct frontage roads between Hwy 46 and Business 123.

When LANE Construction is finished with their work, a frontage road will run down the middle of this land.

Mail Bag: potholes, I-10, Wurzbach Parkway, Lp 1604, new subscribe feature

Before we delve into this week's Mail Bag, let us know what you think about the new lane closures format. After all, this blog and its posts are for you and we want to do things in a format suited best for you.

Also, the wet weather we were pummeled by over the weekend (and that's headed our way this week) has a number of consequences. This includes a proliferation of potholes. We're doing what we can to fix the potholes we know about and get to those we hear about from you. The key to avoiding these potholes while you drive, by the way, is to increase your following distance to the recommended 3-plus seconds. This allows enough visual space for a driver to identify normal road hazards, like potholes, and avoid them safely and effectively.

Well, that addresses some comments and questions we've already had in mass since the weekend. Here's a look at a few more specific questions:

The other day I was driving on the WurzbachParkway between Jones-Maltsberger and Thousand Oaks. The new section is fantastic, but I noticed one thing which strikes me as odd - when I got on the highway from Jones-Maltsberger going eastbound, the speed limit is 45 MPH. After Wetmore Road, it goes up to 60. In my unprofessional opinion, the new section is too wide and feels way too slow for the posted 45 MPH. I feel you can definitely drive 60 on it. So my question to you is this: Is the 45 MPH speed limit temporary (until construction ends) or is it permanent? Thanks!
- Mike

It's a good thing most TxDOT vehicles come with cruise control so we can set our speed and be worry free from the temptation of doing 60 MPH on this road!

There are two speeds here - the design speed and the speed that is eventually set through use of speed studies. Because of the inclusion of curbs and sidewalks along the parkway, the design speed is 45 miles per hour. That speed limit can be changed with a speed study and requests from the local municipality. There's a whole process and handbook for stuff like that, if you'd like to go through it all.

The bottom line: expect that 45 MPH speed limit sign to stay where it is (by the way, it's posted at 45 MPH on the west end of the Parkway, between Blanco and West Avenue, also). We'll also be posting 45 MPH signs between West Avenue and Jones-Maltsberger, including the overpass over U.S. 281. Because these are black-and-white signs, they're regulatory. That means our friends with San Antonio Police Department can offer reminders of the posted speed should you be going a little faster. I understand those reminders come only with a fee....

In regards to Braun/1604 overpass - I'm hoping that there are plans to add an additional left-hand turning lane to allow more traffic to get onto 1604 coming from outside the loop. It could really use it. During the school year it can take 5-6 lights cycles to get onto the freeway ... I realize that the project won't be complete until 2016 but it seems like adding another turn lane is something that could be implemented now to reduce some of the pain. Any chances on accelerating this?

- JDH

JDH! Code names ... feels like we're communicating incognito....

The current plan sheets show a single left-turn lane in each direction with an optional straight/left lane for your direction (eastbound Braun Road to northbound Loop 1604). We'll also have a third lane going through at that location. That configuration (straight, optional, left) won't be in place in full until the project nears completion next year.

This shows the final configuration of Braun Road at Loop 1604 when the expansion is finished next year.

Making the adjustment sooner may require some out-of-sequence work on the traffic signals, which may not be ready (we would have to order new components) for quite a while. That said, we can work with the contractor to accelerate the make the optional straight/left lane happen sooner than later.

We recently opened a new campus on Leslie right before Shaenfield. Needless to say this construction is affecting us greatly so I appreciate the updates to help us anticipate and plan. Would it be possible for you to add a feature where I could subscribe to these updates by email so new posts are delivered to my email? Thanks!
- Jamye

You know, that's a darned good idea. There are several options for subscribing (Google+, feed readers, etc.), but if you look to the left of the screen you'll see we just added a subscription option. This will get you an automated email every time we post.

You'll also see that we've added a "share" widget under the blog posts. If you'd like to share a post using your organization's (or personal) Facebook page or Twitter feed (or Google+, Pinterest, email, etc.), you'll find a small strip of icons at the bottom of each post that allows for an easy share.

Great idea, Jamye. Thanks for helping us evolve and develop this blog a bit! If there were such a thing as a "get out of traffic free" card, we'd be sending you one.

Wow, things have really slowed to a crawl on the construction side of things with Wurzbach Parkway. And no updates on here, either. What's the status?

- Michael

The Wurzbach Parkway project is still on pace to finish this summer - well ahead of the end-of-year deadline on our contract. Most of the work is focused along U.S. 281. Tuesdays are our project meeting days, and we'll get on over there to get you an update this week (this project meets the same time as the I-10 Huebner project, so we have to make a choice each week on which to go to).

A stop sign was just installed at the intersection of W. Hausman Rd. and the eastbound I-10 frontage road (near the Land Rover dealership) on either June 5 or 6. A couple years ago this location was converted from a "T" intersection with a stop sign to more of a curved divisional island intersection without a stop sign in order to improve the flow of traffic. Why was a stop sign reinstalled here after not existing for years? Also, many drivers are completely ignoring the stop sign--maybe because they don't know it is there. How come an Advance Traffic Control sign (W3-1) and a NEW sign (W16-15P) were not installed?

- Matt

Matt, two things. First of all, you've got an obvious extensive understanding of our Manual for Uniform Traffic Control Devices - kudos!

Second, that stop sign is part of the Hausman Road project operated by the city of San Antonio. The Transportation and Capital Improvements group there will have more information than we will.

The light at Dezavala and the Eastbound side of the I-10 frontage road has issues. The green light cycle only lasts long enough for about 4 cars to get through. As a result, the traffic backs up onto the frontage road. This Saturday, it took me 5 cycles to get through! I feel like the green light cycles on other sides of this intersection are longer. What can I do (i.e., who can I email or call) to help fix this?

- Lauren

Lauren, this is an issue we've noticed as well. We think it was an issue with a sensor that was pointed in the wrong direction - we've got that solved. If it's a timing issue, that's something handled by the city of San Antonio. Most lights across the city - even on our roads - are controlled by them. Sure, we build them and upgrade them if needed ... but they maintain the timing and so forth.

To put your mind at ease, we're in constant contact with the right folks with the city to be sure we're watching the timing at this location to be sure it's running optimally.

Mail Bag: Loop 1604 NW, How to Use the Blog, I-10 and more

What happens to the light poles on the center median that are taken down before construction? Where are they taken?
- Josie

Great question, Josie. And we've got a pretty simple answer, too. The short version is the fate of these older light poles greatly depends on the nature of the work and contract we have with the contractor. In some cases, the poles are salvaged and re-used. In others, the poles become the property of the contractor (this is part of their bid package; some contractors are able to bid lower dollar amounts knowing they'll also end up with some equipment like light poles as well) and new poles can be used.


Where is the closure information regarding the westbound lanes of I-10 at Heubner through UTSA Boulevard? I do not see the information on your Web site. The lack of posting the information and the closure of three lanes on a four lane interstate at 8:30pm is not appropriate. The work could be accomplished by closing two lanes at a time.
- Ricky

This closure - along with all other planned construction-related closures in the San Antonio region - was posted online right here on the Go Ahead! blog. This announcement is also sent to traditional media outlets. Because of the fluid nature of the closures along I-10 between Huebner and Loop 1604, we don't publish them on the TxDOT main Web site. For the same reason, and because of the temporary nature of these closures, we don't post specifics of the closure on the map application we have - that is reserved, by policy, for larger closures and weather-related stuff (like ice or floods).

As for the number of lanes closed, when we're working on the middle lanes we actually do need to take three lanes. This is done for safety - the safety of our crews as well as that of motorists. Safety will always be our top priority for stuff like this. By taking three lanes we can work in one lane and have a buffer area of one lane either side of our work crews, allowing for a safe work environment. This is considered a best practice that's used not only Texas-wide, but also nation-wide. It's not specific to us in San Antonio. Because it is, indeed, a larger closure we avoid daytime and peak traffic times. The closures start at 8:30 p.m. and are finished by 5:30 a.m.

We have had issues with the contractor closing multiple consecutive ramps, but that is being resolved with our contractor. That's not a best practice, and we're taking steps to ensure we don't have consecutive exits or consecutive entrances in the future.


I'm new to this site. Great info! Are there any new updates to the Shaenfield-Loop 1604 area work?
- Rich

Thanks - glad it's helping you out!
We had a post on the Loop 1604 project (tagged as "Loop 1604 Northwest") just this last week - Tuesday, in fact.
For all projects and posts, we use a tag cloud to help folks narrow their search of blog posts for specific projects. The tag cloud is that big mass of words - it seems random, but it's not - to the left of the screen when you're looking at the blog from your browser. The tags are listed in alphabetical order, and you'll notice the tags with more posts (like "closures") are much larger in the cloud than tags with very few associated posts.
The challenge is reading our minds regarding what we've named projects - we've tried to be as intuitive as possible. For instance, the expansion of Loop 1604 on the northwest side of town between Bandera and Culebra roads (including Shaenfield) is tagged "Loop 1604 Northwest" and the project at the intersection of Fredericksburg and Medical Drive is tagged "Fred-Med".
If you're finding some projects tagged in a way that's tough to decipher, let us know! We can always re-tag something - we just need to know when something doesn't make sense! Give us some reasons and some suggested alternatives, by the way. Solutions accompanying a sincere complaint will always gain the most traction with us.


How much longer do we have to wait for the project on Hwy 281 at Loop 1604 to begin?- David

Great question - and one we're only partially capable of answering. Hwy 281 - particularly north of Loop 1604 - falls under the Alamo Regional Mobility Authority, who has what we call a "right of primacy" (also known as "dibs") on that corridor and is overseeing future development.
That includes getting finalized environmental clearance on the project, which should come this summer (according to the RMA, with whom we spoke on the phone to find answers to this question). The Environmental Impact Statement is finished and can be viewed by pretty much anyone online right here. Once that environmental clearance is issued work will begin in earnest to finish the designs for the project. The good folks with the RMA say they're shooting for early 2017 as a start date for the work on U.S. 281 north of Loop 1604 - and that includes the remaining connectors from Loop 1604 to U.S. 281.


The green traffic light for the westbound frontage road of I-10 at Ralph Fair Road is way too short! It allows only 4-5 vehicles (depending on type of vehicle) through before cycling to yellow. Traffic is backing up beyond the I-10 on ramp in the mornings. All is lost if someone is making a left turn onto Ralph Fair, as the lane configuration does not allow for any way around them to make a right turn on a red light. Can the length of the green light please be extended?
- Bernie

Bernie, we've had several mention issues with signal timing at this intersection, but yours is the first to tell us we're giving too little green time to the I-10 frontage road. Most are exactly the opposite.
That said, we clearly need to make sure our contractors are ensuring the timing is right and the detection system is picking up traffic appropriately.
As for that right-turn movement ... we should have that opened back up when we finish repaving the intersection in the next couple of weeks. When we're all done, that westbound frontage road will have one through lane, a left-turn lane and a right-turn lane. You'll be able to get where you're going a lot easier than you did before we got going.


I had a quick question regarding the FM 306 project Hunter Industries is working on. Part of the project was to create side roads to connect Goodwin Lane up to FM 306, one of which wraps around under the new railroad overpass. The side road themselves are completely lacking any type of curbs or water control of any sort nor any form of sidewalks for pedestrians to utilize. There are multiple apartment complexes in the vicinity and with all the care to pedestrian access on 306, I would have thought the side roads would have also included sidewalks.
Is this just temporary or was this the intended final design?
- Peter

Peter, when these plans were drawn up most of those apartments were completely non-existent. In fact, when we started construction there was one apartment complex along the entire project - one. Since then, following growth in that area of New Braunfels, apartments have been built.
We do not have in our plans sidewalks along the turnarounds under the UPRR underpasses. These turnarounds are built as access points to an area that is decidedly industrial (or so it was when the project was designed, using input from the general public).
That said, we can look into an additional project to add sidewalks and curbs. In order to make that a priority, you'll need to work with your local elected officials and the Metropolitan Planning Organization.


Anything you can find out about future plans for the intersection of I-10 and Scenic Loop Road in Boerne?
- Kam

A picture is always worth a thousand words, so here's a look (via a PowerPoint presentation to the Boerne City Council last month) at what's proposed and being planned. Keep in mind this $10 million project will take about two years to complete and will start late 2015 or early 2016.

Notice that we're adding turnarounds (proposed!), expanding the intersection itself and likely doing some work on the I-10 overpass itself. Again, this is all proposed - it's not yet finalized.
Also, forgive the use of "IH 10" on the slide - we just can't break our engineers of using that moniker....


TxDOT's site has an illustration of the new Hwy 151 intersection, and it is not clear on how Culebra connects to Hwy 151. Can you clarify?
- David

This picture should show a little better what's happening out there (and on pace to be finished by the end of 2016). As for the connection from Culebra Road, heading south along the Loop 1604 access road to reach the Hwy 151 ramp ... well, that's not happening. There's just not enough space to accommodate both traffic movements from southbound Loop 1604 main lanes onto westbound Alamo Ranch Parkway and southbound Loop 1604 frontage road onto eastbound Hwy 151.
Those involved with the planning process determined more traffic would be coming from southbound Loop 1604 to westbound Alamo Ranch Parkway, meaning that particular traffic movement will be the primary traffic generator. The result is that will be a possible traffic movement; moving along the southbound Loop 1604 frontage road from Culebra Road onto eastbound Hwy 151 will not.
At any rate, here's the aerial overview (you'll likely need to click on it and zoom in a bit to see what's happening):

I-10 Huebner update

It's no secret at this point we had some issues Monday morning with our work on I-10, which gummed up westbound traffic through the 8 o'clock hour.

The work being done is what we call a mill-and-overlay; we mill up 2-3 inches of asphalt and replace it with a good and new surface. With that layer of asphalt stripped out, a paving machine lays a new layer of asphalt in its place. The end result is a a smooth, finished surface of asphalt that is clean (and, in a situation like we're in on I-10, bonds well with the final layer to be laid soon after).

This diagram shows how a basic asphalt milling operation works. Without a new layer of asphalt, the milled surface left behind can be rough and contain pebbles that kick up and hit windshields - which is why the paving contractors on I-10 don't want to leave a milled surface exposed on the main lanes of the highway.

Overnight (Sunday into Monday), the asphalt supply plant broke down and wasn't able to produce asphalt to send to the project. When that first plant broke, project bosses moved to get material from a second plant. That plant broke down as well, leaving road crews without asphalt coming onto the job.

An asphalt batch plant similar to the one above, located off-site at an asphalt supplier's yard, broke down early Monday morning and halted production and delivery of asphalt to crews working on I-10. This photo and description of an asphalt batch plant courtesy Atlas Industries.

Ordinarily, we would stop milling and wait for whatever material we can get so we don't end up with a bigger area of unfinished roadway. That was, at least, the suggestion made by TxDOT folks on the project that night. The contractor doing the asphalt (Angel Brothers Construction) opted to continue milling because they said they weren't sure the supply of asphalt was indeed set to dry up. Communication gaps existed through the night, and Angel Brothers was unable to make contact with suppliers to know the issue was as serious as it was.

The result, then, was that we had paving crews on the roadway until nearly 9 a.m. and traffic on westbound I-10 backed up from DeZavala Road to the I-410 interchange in the Crossroads area. This is unacceptable, and we're doing what we can to ensure this doesn't happen again.

We have since reiterated contingency plans with our contractors - both Angel Brothers Construction and the contractor acting as lead on this project, Webber Construction - and let them know that, in the event of a plant break in the future, we will not permit further milling after a predetermined time in the night (around 1:30 a.m.). This is in line with the contingency plan discussed with both Webber and Angel Brothers when similar issues arose early May, but is now moved beyond being merely a request made to the contractor.

What's more, our inspectors will be helping the contractor maintain direct phone communication with the asphalt plant in the future. This will ensure that all parties are familiar with all aspects of the production line, allowing appropriate decisions to be discussed as work is being done.

A second issue - related to the first - has also been raised. Overnight closures are apparently causing delays for traffic (after midnight, mind you) of more than an hour and a half. Part of this is because crews have all but one lane closed on the westbound side for paving overnight - that will continue. For safety and production reasons, that needs to stay the way it has been. If you're driving through I-10 between Huebner and Loop 1604, expect lane closures - as many as three lanes closed - nightly through the rest of the month (no Friday or Saturday nights).

However, we should not have consecutive ramps - two consecutive exits or two consecutive entrances - with the work we're doing. Reports from some driving through the area are that we are closing consecutive ramps. That issue has been addressed and should come to a halt.

Now for the good stuff (translation ... time to let you know what we have left before we're done with this project):

We are only a few weeks from having this project finished. Once we have the current road surface in place we'll get to lay the final surface of asphalt (what's being laid right now is a base layer). After the final surface is down, we'll paint lane markers.

We still have some small concrete items left to do, but all of our structures are built. We do have some cleaning across the project to take care of, which is being done on a daily basis.

We also have a small area of roadway that needs repaired and replaced from nearly the base on up (about 20 inches deep). When we have a schedule for that work, we'll broadcast that schedule as loudly as we can. The good news is that work can be done in a few short days (that may mean weekend closures over the course of a future weekend in order to get it done quickly).

Overall, Webber Construction is targeting the end of this summer to have the project finished.

Mail bag: you've got questions, we've got answers

A week or two ago we quietly added a "contact us" form to the blog. If you've not noticed, look to the left of the screen. Find it yet? Yeah, you can type up whatever you're wanting to know in that box and it's sent directly to us.

This was done with some cautious optimism. This site is not intended for official feedback regarding TxDOT transportation projects. In fact, if you're wanting to request we do some work in a particular area take a look at the Alamo Area MPO - they're the ones who tell us what to do with our money here in the San Antonio area (and in Comal County, and in Guadalupe County, and in the city of Boerne...). Yes, that's an extremely basic and rudimentary description of the relationship between the MPO and TxDOT, but it gets the point across.

Bottom line: if you're interested in telling us what kind of project you'd like to see us do, talk to the MPO. If you've got a question about an active project, use the comment form on the left of your screen.

Alright, with all that said, it's time to grab out of the mail bag. We'll try to do this at least twice a month (if we've got enough questions!) moving forward: 

Every morning I have to get to 1604 from Hausman to avoid going to the I-10 and DeZavala intersection since it takes 4 or more light changes to get through. I go around to UTSA Blvd off Roadrunner Drive and I think it would help out all the traffic if there was a road like JV Bacon going from Hausman to UTSA Blvd. Might that be a possibility? Something in the works with all the construction going on here? It would be great! ...Just wondering and hoping.

- Eva

Well, Eva, you've got a few questions going on here. So let's take them one at a time....

The light cycles at I-10 and DeZavala should be improved for you now we have the turnarounds open during daytime hours. Beyond that, well, we've worked with the city of San Antonio to optimize those lights. In fact, the city is the lead on signal timing across the city - even on our roadways. There are a handful of intersections we maintain total control of, but the rule of thumb is the city maintains control.

The JV Bacon route is a city street, and the city should be thanked (or at least the contractor building stuff along that corridor who built JV Bacon and handed it over to the city). Hausman Road is also a city street, and the construction there is overseen by the city.

To get to brass tacks, any additional cross streets would be developed by the city and not by TxDOT. The good folks at your city council office can explain that process a little better, or you could go through the Metropolitan Planning Organization.

Any update when the Spring Branch post office will be relocated to complete construction on Hwy 281?

- Ray

Great question, Ray. For those who aren't already familiar, the question is about the U.S. 281 expansion through Comal County, where a part of the project had to be altered because of a right-of-way issue involving the U.S. Post Office in Spring Branch. You can see more about this project here.

At this point, the project has been finished. What we did was build a "temporary" detour around the post office you're driving on now, and intend to keep that in place until we're ready to "finish" the road. Last time we checked, we were at least a year away from the post office relocating (that's all in their court). Once the post office is somewhere else, we'll find another contractor to demolish the building and build the rest of the road (there's not much to build). With the road complete, they'll obliterate the detour and put things as we had initially designed. The construction process should only take 4-6 months, but we don't anticipate beginning that until after 2016.

What is the status of the new bridge at Ralph Fair Road? Looks ready to be used but still not open.

- Jason 

The toughest part of construction, I think, is seeing a near-finished project you've patiently waited through a variety of closures to see crews work on. It looks like it's ready to use, but it's not quite there yet. That's the case with the new Ralph Fair Road (FM 3351) overpass at I-10.

We've still got a few smaller items to finish on the bridge, though you'll see traffic move over to use the "full" bridge in the next week or so. That will still only mean one lane each direction, allowing crews to match the first half of the bridge with the second. We anticipate having the full bridge open and in use by the end of this month - as long as weather holds.

One thing that I never see mentioned but I believe is tied in with the Wurzbach Parkway project is the construction of the Salado Creek Greenway between West Ave and Jones-Maltsberger. Will it open at the same time as WP or sooner or later? Thank you.

- Bob

Bob, you're absolutely correct. Along with constructing new parkway lanes (like an expressway, but slower...), we're extending the Salado Creek Greenway so that, when we're finished, the greenway will connect Hardberger Park with McAllister Park. Because of the needs to maintain the roadway portion, which weaves in and out of the trail (shown here in yellow), as a safe work zone, the new greenway remains closed until the parkway if finished. That is currently planned for this summer.

So, to those of you who like walking/hiking/biking the greenways (and there should be more of you out there than there currently are!), we'll ask you to remain patient much the same way we ask drivers who look forward to that final segment of the parkway to be finished. We're in the home stretch!

I'm a huge fan of your blog and truly appreciate being informed about construction in San Antonio. I have a suggestion for the blog: a summary of the work at 1-10 between Huebner and 1604 including before and after photos, if available. As a driver who passes this section of road each day, I can "feel" the difference but can't quite remember what it was like before the construction started. A good summary with photos can help us, the commuters, really appreciate all the work that has been done. Thanks for considering. 

- Amjed

Amjed, thanks for your fanhood. Spread the word! You've made a fine suggestion, so here's a peek:

Westbound main lanes at the old Woodstone/new DeZavala exit. Old is on the left, new on the right.

From the west-to-east turnaround at UTSA Boulevard, this look eastward shows a before-and-after look at the main lanes over DeZavala Road. The left photo was taken in 2013, after Webber Construction took over the project from Ballenger Construction. The photo at right was taken earlier this month.

I know that's not the best look at what you were hoping for, but finding a good "before" photo from UTSA Boulevard was tough to find!

There you go - our first "Mail Bag" entry. Have a question you'd like answered? Send us your question in the form on the left!