Mail Bag: revisiting old answers, Ralph Fair Road, Fair Oaks Pkwy and more

Great work keeping the blog updated and providing great information!
Two questions: in the last mailbag there was a question about I-35 at Walzem reducing down to three lanes in each direction then opening up to four lanes.
You wrote that it is supposed to be four lanes but it is still three lanes each direction; any idea when that is supposed to be complete? (I know the weather hasn’t cooperated).
Second; I read the post regarding stop lights and what it takes to install (namely cost) and have a new respect before ‘firing from the hip’ saying every intersection that causes me a few seconds of inconvenience needs one. However, there is one intersection that, I think, is overdue for another look — Foster Rd and FM 1346. I’ve seen eastbound traffic back up all the way where the two lanes merge into one. Any plans for a traffic light there in the near future? The four-way stop seems very outdated.
And a comment about the 35 project— it rocks! You guys kicked its [expletive]!
Thanks again for the great information and posts! The person that keeps this updated does a fantastic job!

- Todd
First of all, flattery will get you ... well, pretty much anything. Thanks so much! Sorry we had to edit your comment a bit. This is a family blog, after all!
To your first question ... we were fully wrong about I-35 being opened up earlier. We were operating on old information and got it wrong. Instead of opening in January, it actually opened up to the new capacity last week and you are (hopefully) enjoying that extra lane each direction. We learned from the experience and will add extra verification with guys in the field before posting things in the future.
As for the second question, the best we can do is put the location on our list to be studied. You're not the first to ask, and we did recently upgrade that intersection with flashing yellow lights. We have to go with the hard data, so we'll see what things look like once we've done a warrant study.


I’ve been noticing some closures overnight at the Scenic Loop and I-10 overpass in Boerne so crews can law pavement underneath. This is exit 543, not the Leon Springs overpass at Boerne Stage Road. I’m not sure if these are being posted under the “Boerne” or “Leon Springs” categories, but I haven’t seen these particular closures in the weekly posts. Am I missing something? I live by this particular overpass and the detours are pretty far out of the way if we can’t go under the freeway.
- Grant
These should actually be posted under "Other Roads - Boerne". Because it's actually Scenic Loop Road, not I-10, that's closed it goes under a bit of its own heading.
The detour for this one is pretty simple - simply head down to Balcones Creek, cross over and turn around, then come back. The whole thing is about three miles.


Regarding Gold Canyon Exit at 1604, thanks for the quick response.
This same setup occurs on eastbound 1604 at the exits for 281 north and south. Two normal lanes and an auxiliary lane. That auxiliary lane terminates with the exit for 281 South. However, prior to that termination there is an exit for 281 North. If this is an unsafe condition, why is it allowed for this area but not for Gold Canyon?
- Marshall
The two areas actually aren't the same at all. Here's a look at the Gold Canyon area you're asking about:

Note the auxiliary lane stretches less than half a mile (the orange line is the auxiliary lane) and encounters both an entrance ramp, with traffic trying to enter the highway and weave onto the main lanes, and an exit ramp, with traffic weaving off the highway. We've also got a bridge in the middle of everything, limiting what we can do here.
Now, here's a look at eastbound Loop 1604:

You'll have to click on this one to blow it up a bit, it's not the same scale. Why? Because it's a significantly longer stretch of roadway we're trying to fit in the same column width in the blog. The auxiliary lane to which you're referring is well over a half-mile - and it doesn't feature the conflict of entering and exiting traffic. It's also lacking that pesky bridge in the middle.
If we were to stretch it out to capture the conflict of entering traffic with these two exit ramps, by the way, the stretch would be nearly a full mile.
Remember, that Gold Canyon area is well under a half-mile. The distance between these two exit ramps alone is more than what you've got at Gold Canyon.
That's why the situation you see on eastbound Loop 1604 approaching US 281 is safe and an extra ramp on westbound Loop 1604 near Gold Canyon would not be.


My wife and I think a 'fly over' from Ralph Fair to (eastbound) I-10 and from (westbound) I-10 to Ralph Fair would increase the functionality of both roadways. I know it would be expensive but sooner would be cheaper than later. This is going to have to be addressed due to the population explosion in eastern Kendall County. Is anything like that in the works? Thank you.
- Marcial
One thing you're not seeing (yet) is the huge benefit that new intersection at Old Fredericksburg Road will be to the intersection at Ralph Fair Road. All those folks in that new development along Old Fred Road that's now pushing through the Ralph Fair intersection will be removed from the traffic equation completely.
Just hang tight a few more months, you'll see what's happening and you'll be glad we didn't go in with a direct connector and it's quarter-billion-dollar price tag. Everything we've had going the last few years has been part of an overall plan to address the growth, and we're just about finished.
For the record ... no, we don't have one planned at this location, either. It's doubtful we'll ever get to that sort of situation. Frankly, we need direct connectors at Loop 1604 and I-10 or at Loop 1604 and I-35 first.


It is encouraging to see the progress on I-10 north of 1604. The progress seems to end at Dominion Drive however. What is the expected completion date of this interstate expansion and scope (distance) to be included?
- Dugald
We're glad we're encouraging! The expansion will add two lanes in each direction between La Cantera Parkway and Ralph Fair Road. We're scheduled to finish around the end of 2020. You'll see a new lane in each direction ready to use in 2019, though.


Please add me to your email list for traffic updates.
- Tami
We actually don't keep an email list. Your best bet is to subscribe to email alerts on our blog, which can be done by entering your email in the subscription bar on the left, and you'll get notices every time we post something.


Can you send me a picture of what the intersection at Fair Oaks parkway and I-10 will look like when completed.
- Chuck
All of that is posted online, Chuck. Take a look here.


What is going on with UTSA Blvd near UTEX Blvd? The expansion project from three lanes to five lanes looked complete in the Fall. Then after a few weeks, crews tore up the new surface for half of the new lanes for what looked like drainage work. It's been like that for about three months now with very little activity. This back-to-one-lane-each-way thing is frustrating after getting to use the expanded lanes.
- John
You're one of a growing list of folks asking us, John. We'll tell you what we told the others: that's all part of a private commercial development and they're moving around some utility stuff. We are pretty sure all the work is being done for Security Services FCU, who is developing that whole area along the road heading toward I-10.
We don't have any real oversight with them; as long as the traffic control is set up in line with standards in our Manual for Uniform Traffic Control Devices (it is), they're fine to be out there and we have no tools available to spur them along.

Some daytime work to be aware of

Two areas - both near elementary schools - will be briefly impacted by work Friday. If you're part of the impacted community and reading this, please share it with your friends.

Fair Oaks Ranch
After finishing a seal coat on Ralph Fair Road two weeks ago we are ready to get painters out to re-stripe the road. This work will begin Friday once the morning dew burns off and continue until work is complete.
Yes, we know that's really vague, and we're sorry. We have to wait for the dew to burn off because paint doesn't stick too well to wet roads. With a sunrise set for about 7:20 a.m. and a dew point likely lower than this morning's 70 degrees, that should mean we'll see the wet ground burn off pretty darned quick. Expect to see us out there around 9, really.

As for our finish time ... we really won't quit until the job is done and the road is re-striped. Our contractor, IBM, has dedicated their top crew and best equipment for the job so we're expecting a pretty quick turnaround - hopefully well before the evening rush at 4 p.m.
We do expect to see some impact to the afternoon pickup rush at Fair Oaks Ranch Elementary School, though, so if you're planning to pick up your kiddos Friday afternoon please plan on a few additional travel minutes.
Striping is a rolling operation - nothing is stationary. We'll work on one side of the road at a time and move along at about 5 miles per hour. We've got an off-duty officer on hand to shadow the work convoy and allow traffic to pass safely as needed. That said, please plan on a few extra minutes to travel through.

Marbach Road - far west San Antonio

Webber Construction is setting bridge support beams over Marbach Road at Loop 1604 on the far west side of town Friday. These beams will form the eventual southbound overpass for Loop 1604 at Marbach Road.
We're aware of the mix between traffic to Southwest ISD schools like Scobee Middle School and Big Country Elementary and residents outside Loop 1604 headed to Northside ISD schools like Grosenbacher Elementary. We've built our work schedule around these school schedules and are asking our contractor, who will begin work at 9 a.m., to break between 2:30 p.m. and 6 p.m. so we stay out of the way of pick-up times. If we haven't finished work by 2:30 p.m. Webber will set up the closure again at 6 p.m. and continue until they're done.
This work will mean closing Marbach completely immediately west of Loop 1604 (so pretty much just the Champions Park neighborhood) for half-hour spurts while each beam is set over Marbach. Off-duty officers will be at the location to get traffic moved through the area as needed.
Thru traffic on Loop 1604 will not be impacted by this closure.
For those looking for an alternate route during this work, Emory Peak should be able to get you in and out of your neighborhood.

Mail Bag: Loop 1604 speed limits, US 281 Spring Branch, Ralph Fair Road

There's some confusion with the service road speed limits between Bandera and Braun for the Loop 1604 area. During construction, the speed limit was 45, then some 40 mph signs showed up, but were quickly covered with trash bags. Now the 45 mph construction signs are gone and the 40 mph signs are back. On one side there's several permanent signs present within a few yards of each other going from 40 to 45 and back to 40 mph. Two questions on this: Why did it go to a lower speed limit post-construction? Seems backward. And why on earth are there so many permanent speed limit changes going from Braun to Bandera in such a tight space? Sadly, no one is obeying any of them and will run anyone down that is trying to keep the speed limit which is really confusing with all the changes there.

- Rick

Thanks, Rick, for your note. The first issue is the discrepancy between speed limits along the frontage road. Here's what I got, to that issue, via email from our project engineer Wednesday:

The conflicting speed limit signs should have been fixed already. I was told yesterday that they were done. There should be no 45’s only 40’s.

On to the question about the drop in speed limit along here. The answer is fairly simple: when we had the speed limits posted at 45 mph, these frontage roads were essentially serving as the main lanes of Loop 1604 (because they were the only lanes). Now, with the main lanes open and in use (posted at 60 mph, by the way), the frontage road limits are being set at 40.

It seems slow right now, we get it. Just hang tight for a bit and a lot of development is coming in the near future. Just off the top of our heads (based on huge signs at locations) there's a large storage facility, a convenience store, a large community church and a strip mall coming in the near future. That development doesn't even account for the already existing locations that have bolstered frontage or added signs (we're looking at you, gymnastics center).

Truth is, folks in the area should be ready for a boom in commercial development and the resultant increase in traffic along these frontage roads. When that happens, the 40 mph speed limit will make more sense.

US 281 at the Spring Branch post office is a bottle neck. I am sure it also has the effect of keeping the speed limits from being raised to match the roadway that has been built. How can this highway improvement have been built without making arrangements for the USPS and the bottle neck it has caused?
- Glen
Well ... thanks for drudging up the past! Kidding.
This is an issue we discussed quite a bit back in 2014. For a few posts of note, check here or here. We were asked last year about the issue, and we don't have a lot of movement to report.

As of this spring the USPS told us they were expecting to be at their new location and vacating our property by summer 2017. That is, so long as the new proposed location at the corner of Blazing Meadow Road and US 281 is under construction thus summer.

A while back, I remember reading a detailed projection of the work between Ralph Fair Rd and Fair Oaks Pkwy. I noticed work has begun along that corridor. I may have missed it, but I was wondering what the latest updates are.
- AJ
Work has, indeed, begun! We've been underway since March now. We did see a pretty decent delay due to weather in April and May, and we lost about a month of good work.
This weekend you'll experience a slew of closures between Ralph Fair Road and Fair Oaks Parkway. We're not going to sugar coat this: it's going to be difficult to drive through. We need to extend some asphalt across the four ramps through here so we're ready to switch traffic next week. This means we'll close alternating ramps Saturday (July 16) throughout the day. We'll only have one ramp closed at a time, but we expect to see some significant impact from each closure.
Work is set to begin about 6 a.m. Saturday. We're hoping to have things finished by sundown Saturday.
Again, we'll have all four ramps closed, one at a time, for a few hours at a time. We will have off-duty police officers managing traffic at the intersections of I-10 and Ralph Fair Road and at Fair Oaks Parkway, as appropriate.
Next weekend we'll be working to shift traffic on the westbound main lanes over about 15-20 feet in order to make room to build the new overpass at Old Fredericksburg Road. To prepare for that work we'll have a continuation of the overnight closures we've had here for the last week or two.
We'll get to the eastbound main lanes 2-3 weeks after we get the westbound lanes situated.

What is going on Ralph Fair Road north of I-10? There have been daily lane closures with no announcements causing major delays for local traffic. Seems like they are doing some surveying and pushing around some dirt but why couldn't they just set the barriers instead of backing the whole area up? How long will these continue to happen?
- Danko
You're not the only one to ask. We posted on this just last week - let us know if you have any further questions after checking it out!

I know this has been asked before but when will all the construction be completed at Boerne Stage Rd and Ralph Fair? It just seems to be so close to being completed but dragging out. Will it be done before school starts?
- Christina
What's going on with the service road lanes on both sides between Ralph Fair Road and Boerne Stage Road? It seems the construction site has been abandoned as no progress has been made in what appears to be months. Also, this project seems to be WAY past a scheduled completion date. Wasn't this started in 2013?
- Gerard
Gerard, we'll start with your initial questions. You're mixing two separate projects:
The first involved the expansion of the Ralph Fair Road bridge, including some upgrades to the intersection and conversion of the frontage roads between Ralph Fair and Boerne Stage to one-way roads. That did indeed start a number of years back, and Sundt Construction finished that project up a year ago.
The second project, being built by Texas Sterling Company, started March 2015. You can see the numbers all right here - the project ID is 0072.07.059. To be very blunt, yes - we should have been wrapping up about now. Unfortunately, this whole project has been wonky in terms of scheduling, due in large part to utility conflicts and weather.
Since those issues have resolved, we've been working with Texas Sterling to return appropriate resources to the project. They're out there working every day - just today we had crews working on the new westbound entrance ramp from Dominion Drive, set to open in August, and on the bridge over Leon Creek near Rudy's (set to reopen in October).
Our current projected completion date is the end of this year - which is, indeed, later than our earlier projection of September.

Mail Bag: Marbach extensions, that ramp from Ralph Fair Road, development of I-35 and of Lp 1604

When Marbach will be extended west of Loop 1604? Please provide schematic. Thank you.
- Edwin

Edwin, you've asked a pretty easy question! The answer is "we don't know". Marbach is a city or a county facility and is not maintained nor developed by TxDOT. For the area you're looking, we recommend reaching out to the good folks at Bexar County.

To be perfectly honest, new roads aren't really built by the county or the city. In a situation like this, that development would be done by the private developers building up the Marbach area. Just take a look at Alamo Ranch Parkway and its extension for a current example, or look at the way Wiseman was built much before that.
So, if you're wondering when Marbach will be extended ... well, get in touch with the private developers continually building that area out.

I know there have been some questions regarding the east bound on ramp at Ralph Fair Road. I'm curious why the on ramp isn't like the one shown in the TxDOT design manual. Figure 3-29 shows 1,050 ft (450 ft and 600 ft) and I think you're much shorter. How come? Isn't this what's making it dangerous?

- Joe
Well that's about as loaded a question as could be asked, isn't it? And, in fairness, this question was asked quite a while ago - we wanted to be sure to have a good scientific answer for you.
For starters, we're not much shorter than the guidelines in the TxDOT design manual. If you take a look at the notes our engineers made just for this post, you'll note the actual distances are 397 feet from the end of gore to the end of hash lines, and another 563 feet from end of hash lines to the end of taper.

For those keeping track at home, that's a total of 970 feet - less than 8 percent off the suggested dimensions in the design manual. When considering constraints here with drain structures and bridges (this ramp is sandwiched between Nochols and Leon creeks), that's pretty darned awesome.
Bottom line: we stand by our initial response to this issue with confidence.

Just read your mailbag post. Great stuff! I'm just curious if you had any info on the 151/1604 project. I seem to recall that there was some mention of the direct connector being projected to be operational sometime in June. Obviously I'm sure the weather has delayed that, but any word on an ETA?
- Felix
Construction seems to have stopped on the elevated connector from SB 1604 to EB 151. At one point, it was scheduled to open in June 2016. What's the updated schedule to open that connector?
- Trevor 

At the new construction 151-1604 interchange, I see the southbound 1604 exit to 151 flyover looking like it's progressing well. However, it looks as if the new eastbound (from Alamo Ranch Parkway) to 151 connection will run right into the structural member holding up the aforementioned flyover ramp. Was this a mistake in construction, or will the entire east-bound left lane get scrapped and/or relocated?
- Glenn
Felix and Trevor are right, we did boast a tentative opening of the end of June (thanks, Felix, for the kind words!). That was before we got hammered with the rains in April and May, though. Weather shifted the contractor priority to wrapping up work along Loop 1604. That work's deadline was mid-June, and going beyond the deadline carried financial disincentives. Work goes where the money is, and that meant crews being pulled to finish up those main lanes and frontage roads.

Right now the projected opening of the direct connector is in August, though we don't have an exact date. We should note overall completion isn't due until early 2017 - and the contractor isn't really obligated to open this incrementally (though doing so will certainly help them progress their work).
As for the eastbound connector, Glenn ... take a look at this:

If you look closely you'll see hard lines or squares across the direct connector (curved red road). You'll note one of those hard lines lands right up against where the abutment for the Hwy 151 overpass at Lp 1604 sets (blue and read meet, top-center of picture).
These hard lines are the column caps and abutments for the bridge structure. The one you're seeing will be just to the right of what you're seeing. Heck, we've even got the bridge spans in place now so you can see it when you drive through.
Just so we're clear, the overpass over Lp 1604 that merges Hwy 151 with Alamo Ranch Parkway is set to open to traffic by the end of this year.

Many salutations! I am called Damon Mason. I have been driven along the McDermott Freeway and am very impressed with how that highway has been revised to have five lanes in both directions between downtown San Antonio and Loop 410. One question that bugs me is why I-35 has not been revised in the same five-lanes coming-and-going manner that has been done with the McDermott Freeway. Why has that not been done, AAMPO?
- Damon
Why can I-35 not be revised so that freight truck traffic and private auto traffic are using separate levels? Most of the vehicular collisions are caused by private motorists behaving recklessly around freight trucks which have a mass of 80K pounds (or even heavier!); one solution is for freight trucks to have a level of the highway where there are no hydraulic-decelerated vehicles allowed and for private automobiles to have a level of the highway where there are no air-decelerated vehicles allowed. Why has that not been put into practice?
- Damon
Damon (he wrote us twice), this really is a question for the Alamo Area MPO. While we have a seat at that table, we're just one of several. That, and we're not the controlling agency of the MPO - the MPO is independent.
The need on I-35 is clear, and we've got several options being considered. Ultimately it'll be up to the MPO to determine when we'll move on I-35 and how that work will be funded.

What it's going to happen with 1604 between Bandera Road and I-10? With the construction between Culebra and Bandera finishing, traffic here has gotten even worse with increased traffic and accessibility. Are improvements for this stretch stuck in environmental study or funding limbo?
- Andrew

In a word, Andrew, yes.

The real need here is an upgrade - a significant upgrade - to the intersection of I-10 and Loop 1604. While the expansion of Loop 1604 has helped traffic on the far northwest side, it's also rushed traffic into the already existing logjam leading up to I-10 (and, frankly, all the way to US 281). The whole problem requires three major solves.

First, we need an additional lane of traffic for each direction of Loop 1604 between I-10 and US 281 at a minimum (and between Bandera Road and I-35 at a practical level). We know that. Infortunately, we don't have finances to construct that additional lane (though the MPO has been developing ideas for it, as you can see on page 9 here). 

Next, we need a significantly upgraded intersection at I-10. We're solving the problem at US 281 already; the cloverleaf at I-10 is outmoded by far at this point. This is another situation that's in need of significant funding to address. A typical interchange like we need at that location can easily top $500 million. Unfortunately, we're not the kind of agency that just carries that kind of cash on us. We're looking for ideas to get that price tag down - and one way is to build the full interchange in phases. We've already got one phase identified for development next year, at a price tag of about $110 million.

Finally, we need to do some "operational improvements", or adjust the way the ramps are set up and reverse ramps where possible. This means reversing some of the ramps to fit the Super X configuration you see on expressways across the city. This could be something we do as a stop-gap to improve (though, admittedly, only slightly) issues between now and a larger fix. This is all stuff to go through the MPO, though - and it's all being considered. Seriously, just check out the list of projects the MPO has on its wish list. Quite frankly, we just need money to do this.

We'll have more later this week....

Ralph Fair Road - why the disruption lately?

We've gotten several calls, emails, messages (and even some tweets) regarding the work done on Ralph Fair Road the last few weeks. Well, here's the skinny.

We've got maintenance crews working to fix the roadway edge and eliminate the sharp drop-off at the edge of the pavement. This is caused by erosion, really, and some quick work to add some dirt and sod should put a decent fix on things.

While the work is done we're running one-way traffic control with a pilot car. That means we've got flaggers on site holding traffic in one direction while the other moves. Our maintenance supervisors have timed the traffic delay throughout each day and report average delays of 5-8 minutes.

So how long will this be going on? Great question! We're glad you asked!

We expect today (Wednesday) to be the last day of work this week, but crews will be back out there next week. That said, if weather holds (and it should) we expect to be finished by the end of next week.

These drop-offs and the attendant erosion need to be addressed for two big reasons. The first - and most important - is a safety issue. The second is a structural issue.

Safety
It should be pretty clear how this can be a safety issue. As much as we all try to keep it between the lines, not a one of us hasn't at some point let a tire drift to the edge of the roadway at least one time. If that happens where a dropoff exists, the chance for a crash may increase. When we build up that dropoff, that risk is mitigated. It's pretty simple.

Structural
We wrote about pavement failures quite a while ago, and this erosion simply contributes to a variety of pavement failures, including spalling. What happens is water gets down under the actual asphalt, having the easy route without our shoulders in place, and washes out the foundation of the roadway. That leaves pockets and can lead to potholes - which kind of annoy everyone.

We need to address both these issues immediately in order to prevent further damage or potential safety issues. We're also hoping to stay out of the way of school traffic (mission accomplished there...).

those who actually clicked on some of the links may have seen something about a "safety edge treatment". This sort of thing is pretty typical for us on new roads, and on roads we improve. By the way, we do have a plan to expand Ralph Fair to four lanes (currently estimated at $35 million to do), which will mean a much more permanent fix. That work is currently planned for the year 2020.

Mail Bag: 151 direct connector, turn lanes at Boerne Stage Road, 281-46 progress

It's been a while since our last Mail Bag post, so we're sifting through the questions now. We hope to have another round of questions answered next week - keep telling us what you want to know!

In the March 16 post you stated, "the direct connector for southbound Lp 1604 to eastbound Hwy 151 is the most visible piece of the intersection improvements, and is on pace to be ready for use this fall." Does this intersection have an estimated completion date and any word on the southbound 1604 to eastbound 151 connector opening early still?
- Kevin
Great question, Kevin. Some of us have been asking the same thing as May rain storms really pushed back work across the district.
The overall completion for this intersection has a deadline of early 2017, but is still on pace to wrap up before the end of the year. As for the new direct connector, it's clearly not going to open by the end of June. By the end of summer, though? That's a distinct possibility.

When will you stripe the two left turn lanes onto Beorne Stage Rd? Right now it's quite likely someone in the right turn lane won't go far enough out not to clip the inside turn lane.
- Chris
This is a problem, quite frankly, even where we have the final striping in place. In many states, it's the law to turn lane-to-lane. That is, if you start in the far left lane to turn left, you had better land in the far left lane of the road you're turning onto.
For whatever reason, Texas law isn't written the same. (By the way, we're not advocating any law here - just pointing out what drivers from other states experience.)
The bottom line: drivers here are woefully unaccustomed to the safe practice of turning into the same lane from which you've turned. Frankly, drivers need to take the responsibility and catch up with best practices implemented by drivers across the nation. But that aside, those pavement markers are darned important.
We'll make sure those are in place and maintained properly moving forward for you!

Now that you've addressed the no right turn rationale on BSR, can you attempt to explain the dual turnaround lane configuration at RFR? The issue is that you have two lanes of the feeder set to turn left onto RFR in addition to the dedicated turnaround lane. The left most left turn lane, the left turn only, turns directly into another left turn only lane making it another turnaround. The middle lane on the feeder that is straight or left turn is directed into the middle lane which is straight through the light into Rialto Village. This center lane that is straight or left always backs up with the people going straight through, so a lot of us turning left will use the left lane, and just cross the other two lanes to turn right to head north on the feeder. The issue is that sometimes there is someone actually turning left from that center lane.
- Dan
A lot of this has to do with what you'll have, final product, when we're all done with the frontage road and new overpass work between Ralph Fair and Fair Oaks (actually, turning that optional lane into an optional left/straight lane was a modification of the original plan, based on public input). Remember when we're all done you'll not be turning left on Ralph Fair to turn right onto what will then be the eastbound (only) frontage road.
We're also trying to take into account the future development at that location. While you're right that the left-left option effectively creates a dual turnaround, folks coming from the actual turnaround shouldn't be trying to skip across a few lanes to reach the Whataburger right there. Those folks should use the left-left lanes you've mentioned.
So we really do have a method to the madness.
That said, we can take a look at the layout and have our engineers try to find a way to address the issues you've brought up.

When will the turn-around at 281/46 be completed in Comal county? Why has this project progressing at such a slow rate?
- Donald
For those not familiar with this project, this is the construction of new turnarounds for US 281 at Hwy 46 in Bulverde. The contractor out there is CRG, and should have finished up about a year ago. To be frank, since this project started an entire commercial development - including a Wal-Mart store and its surrounding infrastructure - has been constructed.
Unfortunately we don't have a good answer for why the project has progressed as slowly as it has. We've been working to encourage CRG as much as we can, including assessing liquidated damages for late completion of the project.
The good news: our current schedule shows we should be all done out there before the start of the school year.

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

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

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

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


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

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


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

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


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

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


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

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


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

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


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

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

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

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

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


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

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

Mail Bag (2 of 2): Future plans for Lp 1604 and US 281, non-TxDOT issues reported

Friday's weather-related issues delayed this posting ... otherwise this would have been posted Friday or Saturday. So ... without further ado:

At southbound Stadium and N St. Marys 65 percent of the traffic turns right. This is a major access to downtown and SAC. Some 34 percent of the traffic goes strait. Anyone wanting to go to River Road or Zoo area would make a left back at Mulberry. Why, then, is there a dedicated left turn lane that seldom gets used. A dedicated right turn lane would do more to help traffic. This pattern has existed for 30-plus years and applies to every day of the week.
- Stanley

This issue belongs to our counterparts within the city of San Antonio - we've passed the comments along and they are aware of the concern. Thanks!

The intersection at westbound I-10 and Loop 1604 near The Rim is way over capacity and very congested during the (afternoon) rush hour. Is there a plan to build fly over ramps soon?
- Paul

The interchange - a cloverleaf design - is certainly beyond its intended capacity. It's an interchange we're aware of and trying to seek options that could fix the issue. The best plan currently in the works is a series of priority connectors between the managed lanes of I-10 and the managed lanes on Loop 1604. Right now all this is proposed and not set in stone, but we're working with the Alamo Area MPO to develop a workable plan.
Here's the real challenge we're facing: cash flow. A stack interchange - what folks typically think of when they think of a major interchange, such as what we have at I-10 and I-410 - is really costly. To build a complete interchange, we'd be looking at a price tag in the neighborhood of $500 million - a bit more than just pocket change, even for a government agency.
The main thing to know is we are aware of the need here, and we're working to develop options. The priorities for cash flow identified by folks living and driving throughout the region have not made this interchange a high enough priority for us to pour a ton of money into this location ... yet. If you'd like to help and bump this one up the list (or other projects, for that matter) contact the MPO for ways to get involved.

I am wondering if someone can revisit the decision to make the new frontage road lanes at the Ralph Fair intersection double left turns. If you want to make a u-turn the turn-around is open for that. If you are in the far left lane, the signage and stripes on the street lead you to also make a u-turn, but by driving across the bridge. The lane that goes straight and also can turn left is the only choice for those wanting to go straight and also those wanting to turn left, cross the bridge and then go straight or turn right onto the opposite frontage road. (Therefore, this is the most used lane, by far, and it gets really long.) It seems a left turn only lane that leads to the center lane on the bridge and a straight only lane would be a better choice for this intersection. I hope I explained this well enough that it makes sense and isn't too confusing. Thanks!
- Carrie
We can certainly look into this, Carrie. Your comment has been forwarded on to our operations folks to see what can be done. That said, be aware there may be some limitations here until the I-10 frontage roads are one-way on both sides of this bridge. In particular, the work between Ralph Fair Road and Boerne Stage Road being done (on the eastbound side) will need to wrap up before we're able to do this.

Any plans to add capacity on 1604 between Bandera and I-10?
- Zane

There are! We are working through the MPO and the Alamo Regional Mobility Authority to develop a lasting plan. You can see the latest on that plan here.

The sun rays are interfering with traffic signals during the early morning and evening (sunrise and sunset) on Boerne Stage Road and HEB. The impact seems to leave no safe left-turn light when traveling northwest on Boerne Stage Road and the light is green for only about 10-12 seconds for the main traffic on Boerne Stage Road when when long traffic line builds up.
- Raj

Those sensors may just need to be cleaned. We're passing this note along to the folks with Bexar County, as these signals are not TxDOT signals.

With the U.S. 281 expressway still a few years away there are only a few options from northern Stone Oak to get into town. The traffic on southbound Blanco Road north of 1604 in the morning has been horrendous. It will take me 30 minutes from Timberwood Park to get to 1604. The lights at 1604 and Blanco seem to be on a really, really short cycle (less than 20 seconds) and I think that lengthening that could ease congestion for thousands of people each day. What else can be done until the expressway?
- Bryan

We'll talk to our friends with the city about the timing of signals along that corridor - they have already been optimized, but we can look at tweaking something again.
In the meantime, if you're having a tough time during peak traffic hours, you might consider moving your workday hours (where possible). One of the greatest things we can do as drivers or employers is consider off-peak start and end times to workdays. We even do that here with our folks - we stagger our start schedules so we have some folks that start as early as 6 a.m., and others who start around 9. The result is a minimized impact on those heavier traffic times between 7 and 8 a.m. (and a similar impact later in the day).
Here's some good news for you, Bryan: the expressway on US 281 between Loop 1604 and Stone Oak Parkway is set to start in 2017, which would mean that segment could wrap up as soon as 2020.

There was a light pole on Hildebrand and U.S 281 which was struck by a truck a month ago. How would they install a new light pole on the base of the previous broken light pole?
- Jose

Most street lights, traffic signal poles and highway signs include a breakaway base designed to snap and allow the pole to fall in a direction that minimizes potential harm in the event of a crash. These have been included since the late 1990s on pretty much anything (except for street lights mounted to the top of concrete median barrier) that could pose a danger when hit.
The added benefit - in addition to safety benefits - is on the replacement side. The base or foundation of the breakaway mount is typically still very usable after a collision. If this is the case crews can simply mount a new pole to the existing base. It's a simple and relatively quick process - ordering the required pole and lights becomes a more lengthy process than actually installing the pole.
Does that answer your question?

Leon Springs work

With two projects moving simultaneously, there are more than a few moving parts between Dominion Drive and Ralph Fair Road along I-10. Here's a look at a few items of note:

Frontage road between Boerne Stage and Aue roads

Last week a portable changeable message sign advertising the temporary conversion of the frontage road between Boerne Stage Road and Aue Road to one-way was posted. The message stated the conversion would happen Monday - and that didn't happen.

The conversion will allow crews to reconstruct the bridge over Leon Springs, which will be built in halves. When that work is finished, the road will revert - permanently - to two-way. This is expected to begin (as of the current schedule) in August. The changed schedule is the result of pending utility relocations - a water line needs moved before work on the bridge can begin. Once we have a better grasp on the actual schedule, we'll post a notice right here.

Eastbound entrance ramp from Ralph Fair Road

We've gotten a multitude of calls and emails asking about the "new" eastbound entrance ramp from Ralph Fair Road. Some of these emails beg for some explanation so we're all on the same page. Honestly, this communication break-down is on our end for not showing exactly what's happening.

First, and foremost, the ramp you're using now is a temporary ramp. It's only going to be in operation a short while. The intent here is to allow crews with Texas Sterling Construction to reconstruct the permanent ramp (in the old location) so it is fit to the new one-way configuration of the eastbound frontage road.

So, this change isn't permanent.

The barrier that's out there is required to maintain project area safety. That said, engineers are re-evaluating the placement of the barrier in the field. If adjustments can be made, they will be. Because of the speed of the roadway we cannot use shorter barrier (that low-profile barrier is only rated for roads with top speeds of 45 miles per hour).

Bottom line: we're taking a long, hard look at this. But what we've got out there is temporary as it stands, and we're pushing the contractor to finish the permanent ramp quickly to get folks back onto the ramp they're intended to be on.


Ralph Fair Road bridge

The bridge is nearly finished. In fact, we're waiting for just a few touch-ups to wrap the project up and should have everyone in final configuration by the end of the month. Mostly, we're waiting for striping to get all the lanes painted to their final configuration.

For those wondering what the lane arrangement will be, here's the final layout:

This cross section shows the lane layout of the new Ralph Fair Road bridge, seen from the vantage point of the Walgreen's at the intersection of I-10 and Ralph Fair Road.

Here's the rub, though: we won't be able to put the bridge into its final final configuration until Texas Sterling finishes the work on the eastbound frontage road between Ralph Fair Road and Boerne Stage Road. Right now we've only got one lane on that frontage road, so we can't very well have two left turn lanes! On a temporary basis the southbound center lane of Ralph Fair Road, which will eventually be an optional left/straight lane, will be a thru lane only.

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.

Projects wrapping up - Hill Country area

This month has been really light on posts - we know. We've got a TON of information to get out, and the logjam of info has led to a dearth of posts. So, we're just going to start taking a bite at a time to get this info out to you.

Today, we're starting with a brief rundown of projects about to wrap up in the Hill Country area. For the purposes of this post, this includes Comal, Kendall and Kerr counties. We'll actually go in that order ... so, here's a look at Comal County area projects:

FM 306

Beginning Monday, July 13, Hunter Industries will begin laying a final course of asphalt on the road between I-35 and a little west of Hunter Road. This work will require daily alternating lane closures to allow for paving crews to do their work, but folks should have at least one lane each way to push through the area.

After about a week or so of paving, paint crews will lay pavement markings and you'll have a final product. Concrete work is finished already and crews have already set sod in place. All that's left, really, is the pavement and paint. That, and a final tweak of the traffic signals (which will be done while painters do their thing).

All told this project should be completed and done by the end of the month.

I-35 resurfacing

For those unfamiliar with this, what we're talking about here is the stretch of I-35 between FM 3009 and Solms Road. This is a $9.9 million project that's been going on since spring of 2014. We've had some delays due to materials, equipment failures or weather - pushing us back from what should have been a four-month project duration. Despite the delays, we're happy with the product and the drive between Schertz and New Braunfels is pretty darned smooth!

Now, on to Kendall County:

Ralph Fair Road

Yes, this isn't actually in Kendall County ... but it sort of feels like it is so we're including it on this list. And yes, we're almost done with the work at Ralph Fair Road and I-10. That work could be finished - meaning no more overnight closures, no more daytime closures, no more anything - as early as the first half of next week.

Huge credit for working a quick, clean project to Sundt Construction. The $7.5 million project widened the Ralph Fair Road bridge to five lanes (it used to be just two), and converted some of the frontage roads between Boerne Stage Road and Ralph Fair Road to one-way.

Hwy 46 at Esser

This project was literally days - days - from being finished when we discovered a pavement failure issue with the sub-base that's now being addressed. The $2 million project reconstructed a portion of the roadway and improved the intersection - particularly for westbound traffic on Hwy 46 - right there at the intersection of Hwy 46 and Esser Road. One of the major reasons for the work is to fit the intersection to the Kendall County project to expand the Herff Road bridge; well, mission accomplished there. And with the new right-turn lane in place for westbound traffic that would be headed to Boerne High School, school traffic this fall should see a better drive than they've seen in a while.

And, finally, a look at Kerr County:

Hwy 39 Ingram

This project seemed to be the project that simply would not end! The $8.6 million project began 2013 with the intent of adding a center left-turn lane, bike lanes and sidewalks to Hwy 39 between Hwy 27 and the Ingram Dam out in, well, Ingram.

The project got off to a rough start, but over the last year work moved as fast as the weather allowed. Final asphalt surface will be laid as soon as some curb and sidewalk - under way right now - is finished, and and final striping will come immediately thereafter. That work is currently slated for the last week of July, which means completion should come by the first week of August.

Hunt Crossing

This is another project on Hwy 39, this time a bridge over the south fork of the Guadalupe River in the area of Hunt, Texas. If you've not been, by the way, you should - a gem of the Hill Country, Hunt is!

The $2.5 million project replaced the old bridge with a wider, upgraded version. The wider bridge still only carries one lane in each direction, but it now includes space for shoulders and improved rails. The water flow volume is improved as well. This one shouldn't see water run over top very often, and improve the drive through the area.

Hwy 16 Kerrville

This project - a $2.7 million effort to widen and improve Hwy 16 between Hwy 173 and River Hills Blvd on the south side of Kerrville - was marred by a crash in September that landed five workers, including two TxDOT inspectors, in the hospital. The crash was caused by a suspected drunk driver who sped through an active work zone, passing officers who tried to slow or stop the driver prior to the work zone. The driver was chased by police to his home, where he was arrested.

Despite that drama, crews with Zimmerman Construction have been able to eke out a decent project. Yes, the work has taken longer than estimated. However, notice was given this week paving crews will work all week next week to lay that final surface of asphalt.

The final product should be delivered by the end of the week, if all goes well. That product includes beefed up shoulders and a turn lane.

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):