Tour of Lp 1604 - with big update!

If the weather works out in our favor, we'll have the southbound main lanes of Loop 1604 between Bandera and Culebra roads open for our Monday morning commute. Even if we do get the predicted storms we should have those lanes in play by mid-week.

That's the big news on the Loop 1604 expansion between Bandera and Culebra roads. Oh, and the northbound lanes are set to be ready for traffic 2-3 weeks behind the southbound lanes. And the new direct connector from southbound Loop 1604 to eastbound Hwy 151 could be in use for our commutes by mid-summer.

All this was discussed during a live virtual tour earlier today. If you happened to miss it, you can check out the tour here for yourself. Forewarning: the tour lasted about 50 minutes ... but if you're watching on demand you'll be able to scroll through to the areas most meaningful to you.

Mail Bag

Will the new eastbound on-ramp to I-10 at Ralph Fair Rd be improved to provide an acceleration lane? Due to the angle of the ramp entry visibility still seems limited. We need an acceleration lane since we are entering a 75-plus MPH freeway from a very slow or stopped speed. This is still a very dangerous entry ramp and with the Wal-Mart opening soon it will become even more of an issue.
- Vicky

Vicky, you've got a few items to address here. First, the ramp and its configuration you're now seeing is the final product. That said, a few very careful clarifications should be made.
First, I-10 is not a "75-plus MPH freeway" at that location. In fact, right now the speed limit is 60 MPH because of construction. Once construction is done, the speed limit will return to the normal posted limit of 70 MPH. If traffic is frequently exceeding 75 miles per hour as you're saying, please contact appropriate law enforcement agencies and insist on more frequent speed enforcement.

Second, you shouldn't be accelerating from a stop or a slow speed. Entrance ramps are designed to be, themselves, an acceleration lane. Visibility for the attentive driver begins long before they reach the merge point of the ramp. In fact, at least one online expert in safe driving suggests if you're slow or stopped at the end of the ramp, trying to then merge into traffic, you're probably doing it wrong. (To be clear, Vicky, we're not saying you are doing it wrong, but the "you" here is plural....)

Some brief pointers for drivers merging onto the highway:

1. Get up to speed quickly, This is what the whole ramp is actually designed for. By time you reach the end of the ramp, you should be traveling at highway speeds.
2. Look for merge gaps early. In this particular location, you can begin looking for gaps before you actually get onto the ramp - your visibility starts when you're turning onto the frontage road from Ralph Fair Road.
3. Create gaps ahead and behind you. Basically, don't follow so close to the person in front of you and let them merge as well. If you do it right, you'll do what's called a "zipper merge".
4. Merge quickly. This one is from the experts: "Once you’ve located the gap, move into it quickly. It should take approximately 4 seconds to move from the merge lane into your new lane. Also, if you notice that a car has slowed down to let you in, you need to begin moving into that gap within 2-3 seconds. If you wait too long, that car is going to think that you do not want to merge into the space and potentially close the gap."
5. Finally, coming to a stop in the ramp is not a good idea. While so many figure they can simply stop at the end of the ramp and wait for a gap in traffic, this simply isn’t safe. It takes the average car approximately 10-12 seconds to accelerate from zero to 65 MPH. A car on the highway will drive about one-fifth of a mile in that time. By stopping, you'd now need a gap in traffic at least that long - or a gap that starts almost all the way at the Ralph Fair Road overpass.

All that said, as the area continues to grow and develop surely an acceleration lane (actually, an auxiliary lane) will be considered. As far as the Wal-Mart development ... well, the entrance ramp is well ahead of the Wal-Mart, so that should be a non-factor completely. Hope that helps.

I noticed (last week) they closed the turning lanes at the intersection or Babcock and UTSA Boulevard, and I'm just curious if there's any sort of timeline as to when those will be back to normal or whether it will continue until the project is complete.
Second - and I'm sure you get a TON of questions of about this - but concerning the 1604 expansion from Bandera to Culebra, as well as the interchange at 151 and 1604, is there any chance of an update video of sorts? I believe it's been a while since the last one you've posted, and seeing so much progress in the time that's past, I think it would be really neat to see something in the near future.
- Felix
Great questions, Felix. Easy question first - we've got a live video tour planned for tomorrow (Tuesday) afternoon, 1 p.m. That will be done via Periscope on our Twitter account. We'll also work to have an edited version posted on YouTube shortly thereafter.

As for UTSA Boulevard, there's actually two active projects. The TxDOT project runs from I-10 to Ximenes Avenue. The city has their own project - they're matching what we're doing - and that runs to the Babcock intersection you were talking about. For questions about that intersection and their project, reach out to San Antonio's Transportation and Capital Improvements folks.

For those unfamiliar with what's happening at UTSA Boulevard, we're expanding it to two lanes in each direction with a center left-turn lane. We're also adding some pedestrian facilities to improve the safety of students walking, jogging or riding their bikes along this corridor. Work began a bit over a year ago and has a bit more than a year left before the final product will be in place.

During the construction on I-10 out to Fair Oaks, why isn't I-10 being made three lanes each way.

- Robert The short answer, Robert, is money. While the need to expand is present - which is why we've got a plan to add two lanes in each direction between Camp Bullis and Ralph Fair Road - the more immediate need was to improve the operations of our feeder roads.
We do what we can with the money available. With more than $5 billion in needs across San Antonio alone, we're doing what we can as we can do it. I think we're running somewhere around $500 million in new construction contracts annually, though this year may be a banner year in getting projects let. A lot of that is thanks to the legislature's end of diversions from the highway fund and voters approving Proposition 7 in November.

Among those additional projects we see coming up is the expansion, which will include non-tolled transit lanes similar to what we'll see in the expansion of U.S. 281 between Loop 1604 and Stone Oak Parkway.

Details on that plan can be discussed at length with the Metropolitan Planning Organization.

On inbound Shaenfield Road (eastbound) at 1604, the two right lanes are marked on the road as going straight through the intersection with only the far right lane having the option to turn right or go straight. However, each morning when I drive through the intersection, I see vehicles making it a double right turn. Prior to the underpass being completed, it was a double right turn, with both lanes turning right onto the superstreet. Is it possible to place signs on the roadside and on the light signals indicating which lane may turn and which goes straight through the light? I believe there should be double right turn lanes as traffic backs up significantly in the right hand lane, resulting in drivers illegally turning right from the 2nd to right lane or trying to jump the line and move over at the last moment, and there doesn’t seem to be significant traffic going straight through the intersection.
- Marcia In about two weeks, that whole situation is going to dramatically change. That said, the request for lane assignment signage has been submitted more than once. We'll check to see what the status is, because we need to get that taken care of soon.

Your suggestion of a dual-right turn lane option is an interesting and outside-the-box option, but isn't used well at intersections like this. The layout makes such a situation just impractical and (potentially) hazardous. While the traffic operation may lend itself to such a scenario now, that will change in about two weeks.

It's completely cliche and tough to say on our end, but patience is the key - in two weeks, once main lane traffic is live on the southbound side and most of that cross-traffic on the frontage road is gone, you'll find that right-turn lane flows a lot smoother and has a virtual zero queue.

What is the estimated completion date for the project on I-10 between Dominion Drive and Ralph Fair Road as of the start of April?

-BillRight now we're shooting for the first part of fall to have this project all wrapped up. Most of the traffic should be in its final configuration all the way around, though, by late summer.

Next week's construction-related closures

I-10 - Kendall County

• Monday-Tuesday, April 11-12. 9 p.m. until 5 a.m. Eastbound main lanes at Scenic Loop Road. The right lane will close while crews re-stripe the roadway.

I-10 – Downtown

• Friday-Saturday, April 8-9. 7 p.m. until 8 a.m. Eastbound main lanes between North Frio and South Laredo. The two left lanes will close while crews do asphalt work. This closure includes the exit to Houston Street from southbound I-35. Traffic will use Cesar Chavez to reach its destination. 

I-35 – East San Antonio

• Current thru May 2016. Exit ramps, both directions, to Eisenhauer Road. The ramps will close while crews build a new exit ramp. Traffic will use the next available ramp and turn around to reach Eisenhauer Road. 
• Current thru May 2016. Northbound entrance ramp from Eisenhauer Road. The ramp will close while crews build a new entrance ramp. Traffic will use the next available ramp. 
• Saturday, April 9. 2 a.m. until 4 p.m. Northbound frontage road between AT&T Center Parkway and Binz-Engleman. Alternating lanes will close while crews do concrete work. 
• Saturday, April 9. 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. Southbound main lanes between Binz Engleman and AT&T Center Parkway. Alternating lanes, two at a time, will close while crews work on overhead highway sign support structures. 
• Saturday, April 9 at 2 a.m. until Sunday, April 10 at 3 p.m. Northbound main lanes between AT&T Center Parkway and Binz-Engleman. Alternating lanes will close while crews do concrete work. 
• Sunday-Friday, April 10-15. 9 p.m. until 5 a.m. nightly. Main lanes, both directions, between Walzem and Rittiman. Alternating lanes will close while crews move traffic barrier. 
• Monday-Thursday, April 11-14. 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. daily. Frontage road, both directions, between AT&T Center Parkway and Binz-Engleman. Alternating lanes will close while crews do road work. 
• Monday-Thursday, April 11-14. 9 p.m. until 5 a.m. nightly. Frontage road, both directions, between AT&T Center Parkway and Binz-Engleman. Alternating lanes will close while crews do roadwork. 
• Monday-Thursday, April 11-14. 9 p.m. until 5 a.m. nightly. Main lanes, both directions, between AT&T Center Parkway and Binz-Engleman. Alternating lanes will close while crews do roadwork. 

I-35 – Downtown San Antonio

• Tuesday-Wednesday, April 12-13. 9 p.m. until 5 a.m. Southbound main lanes at the intersection with U.S. Hwy 281 and I-37. The right lane will close while crews install crash cushions and road signs. This closure includes the ramp to southbound U.S. Hwy 281 and the on-ramp from New Braunfels Avenue. Detour routes will be marked. 

I-410 – Northeast San Antonio

• Monday-Friday, April 11-15. Eastbound connector to northbound I-35. The right lane will close while crews do concrete work. This closure includes the ramp to Randolph Boulevard. Traffic will exit Thousand Oaks and turn around, approaching Randolph Boulevard from the southbound frontage road of I-35. 

I-410 – East San Antonio

• Monday-Thursday, April 11-14. 9 p.m. until 5 a.m. nightly. Northbound connector to northbound I-35. The left lane will close while crews do concrete work. 

U.S. Hwy 90 – West San Antonio

• Current until May 2016. Westbound frontage road between Hunt Lane and East Kriewald. The frontage road will close while crews reconstruct the Medio Creek Bridge. 

U.S. Hwy 281 – North San Antonio

• Sunday, April 10. 7 a.m. until 6 p.m. Southbound frontage road at Loop 1604. The right lane will close while crews survey the roadway. 
• Sunday-Monday, April 10-11. 6 p.m. until 5:30 a.m. Main lanes, both directions, between Loop 1604 and Stone Oak Parkway. The right lane will close while crews survey the roadway. 

Loop 1604 – Northwest San Antonio

• Saturday, April 9. 8 a.m. until noon. Southbound main lanes between the entrance ramp from Shaenfield Road and Culebra Road. The right lane will close while crews work on TransGuide traffic camera equipment. 
• Current through Sunday, April 10. 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. daily. Southbound frontage road at Helotes Creek. The right lane will close while crews do concrete work. 
• Current through Thursday, April 14. Continuous closure. Southbound frontage road between Helotes Creek to Shaenfield Road. The left lane will close while crews construct concrete barrier. 
• Current through Thursday, April 14. 9 p.m. until 5 a.m. nightly. Main lanes, both directions, at Hwy 151. All lanes will close while crews do overhead bridge work. Traffic will exit Hwy 151, follow the frontage road and re-enter the highway. Northbound traffic will actually use Hwy 151 and turn around at Wiseman to continue along northbound Lp 1604. 
• Current through Sunday, April 17. 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. daily. Southbound frontage road between Bandera and Braun roads. The right lane will close while crews do concrete work. 
• Current through Sunday, April 17. 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. daily. South-to-north turnaround at Shaenfield. The turnaround will close while crews do concrete work. 
• Current through Sunday, April 24. Continuous closure. Northbound frontage road between Braun and Bandera Roads. The right lane will close while crews do concrete work. 
• Current through Sunday, April 24. Continuous closure. Northbound frontage road between Culebra and Shaenfield roads. The left lane will close while crews construct concrete barrier. 
• Wednesday-Sunday, April 13-17. 9 p.m. until 5 a.m. nightly. Main lanes, both directions, at Hwy 151. All lanes will close while crews do overhead bridge work. Traffic will exit Hwy 151 and follow the frontage road to return to Loop 1604. Northbound traffic will turn around on Hwy 151 at Wiseman to continue along Loop 1604. 

Hwy 151 – West San Antonio

• Current until Friday, July 1 at 5 p.m. East-to-West turnaround at I-410. The turnaround will close while crews work on bridge support structures overhead. 
• Current until December 2016. Westbound exit ramp to Ingram and Potranco roads. The ramp will remain closed while crews install bridge support structures for the direct connector ramps being constructed. 
• Current until December 2016. Eastbound entrance ramp from Ingram and Potranco roads. The ramp will remain closed while crews install bridge support structures for the direct connector ramps being constructed. 
• Wednesday-Thursday, April 13-14. 9 p.m. until 5 a.m. Westbound frontage road between I-410 and Military Road. Alternating lanes will close while crews restripe the roadway. 

Other roads – Comal County

• Monday, April 11. 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. Eastbound Hwy 46 between Old Boerne Road and U.S. Hwy 281. The right lane will close while crews do concrete work. 

Other roads - Boerne

• Sunday-Monday, April 17-18. 9 p.m. until 5 a.m. Scenic Loop, both directions, at I-10. All lanes will close while crews do storm drain work. Traffic will follow posted detours.

Other roads – North San Antonio

• Monday-Thursday, April 11-14. 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. daily. Broadway, both directions, between Austin Highway and Harrigan Court. The left lane will close while crews do concrete work. 

Other roads – Northwest San Antonio

• Sunday-Friday, April 10-15. 9 p.m. until 5 a.m. nightly. Culebra Road, both directions, between Lost Lane and Loop 1604. Alternating lanes will close while crews lay asphalt. 

All closures are pending weather.

Next week's construction-related closures

I-10 – East San Antonio

• Monday-Tuesday, April 4-5. 7 a.m. until 4 p.m. daily. Eastbound main lanes between Foster Road and FM 1516. The right lane will close while crews do roadway repair work.

I-10 – Northwest San Antonio

• Friday, April 1, 9 p.m. until Monday, April 4, 5 a.m. Eastbound main lanes between DeZavala and Huebner roads. The right lane will close while crews do full-depth road repair.
• Friday, April 1, 9 p.m. until Monday, April 4, 5 a.m. Westbound main lanes between Huebner and DeZavala roads. The right lane will close while crews do electrical work.
• Friday, April 1, 9 p.m. until Monday, April 4, 5 a.m. Eastbound entrance ramp from DeZavala Road. The ramp will close while crews do full-depth road repair. Traffic will use the next available ramp.
• Friday, April 1, 9 p.m. until Monday, April 4, 5 a.m. Eastbound exit ramp to USAA (Exit 560B). The ramp will close while crews do full-depth road repair. Traffic will exit Huebner Rd and turn around.
• Sunday-Wednesday, April 3-6. 9 p.m. until 4 a.m. nightly. Westbound main lanes between Ralph Fair Road and Fair Oaks Parkway. The left lane will close while crews set barrier.
• Wednesday-Friday, April 6-8. 9 p.m. until 4 a.m. nightly. Eastbound main lanes between Fair Oaks Parkway and Ralph Fair Road. The left lane will close while crews set barrier.

I-35 – East San Antonio

• Current thru May 2016. Exit ramps, both directions, to Eisenhauer Road. The ramps will close while crews build a new exit ramp. Traffic will use the next available ramp and turn around to reach Eisenhauer Road.
• Current thru May 2016. Northbound entrance ramp from Eisenhauer Road. The ramp will close while crews build a new entrance ramp. Traffic will use the next available ramp.
• Saturday, April 2. 3 a.m. until 5 p.m. Main lanes, both directions, between AT&T Center Parkway and Binz-Engleman. Alternating lanes will close while crews do road work.
• Saturday, April 2. 3 a.m. until 5 p.m. Frontage road, both directions, between AT&T Center Parkway and Binz-Engleman. Alternating lanes will close while crews do road work.
• Saturday, April 2. 9 a.m. until noon. Southbound main lanes between Eisenhauer and George Beach. Alternating lanes will close while crews move barrier.
• Saturday-Sunday, April 2-3. 3 a.m. until 1 p.m. daily. Northbound exit to Randolph Boulevard. The ramp will close while crews do bridge work. Traffic will exit Thousand Oaks, turn around and use the southbound frontage road to reach its destination.
• Saturday-Sunday, April 2-3. 3 a.m. until 1 p.m. daily. Northbound exit ramp to westbound I-410. The ramp will close while crews do overhead bridge work. Traffic will exit Walzem Road and use the northbound I-35 frontage roads to reach westbound I-410.
• Sunday, April 3. 12:01 a.m. until noon. Main lanes, both directions, between AT&T Center Parkway and Binz-Engleman. Alternating lanes will close while crews do road work.
• Sunday, April 3. 12:01 a.m. until noon. Frontage road, both directions, between AT&T Center Parkway and Binz-Engleman. Alternating lanes will close while crews do road work.
• Sunday-Friday, April 3-8. 9 p.m. until 5 a.m. nightly. Main lanes, both directions, between AT&T Center Parkway and Binz-Engleman. Alternating lanes will close while crews do road work.
• Sunday-Friday, April 3-8. 9 p.m. until 5 a.m. nightly. Frontage road, both directions, between AT&T Center Parkway and Binz-Engleman. Alternating lanes will close while crews do road work.
• Sunday-Friday, April 3-8. 9 p.m. until 5 a.m. nightly. Main lanes, both directions, between Walzem and Rittiman roads. Alternating lanes will close while crews do road work.
• Monday-Friday, April 4-8. 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. daily. Frontage road, both directions, between AT&T Center Parkway and Binz-Engleman. Alternating lanes will close while crews repair the roadway.
• Monday, April 4 at 9 a.m. until Monday, April 18 at 3 p.m. Continuous Closure. Southbound frontage road between Eisenhauer and Rittiman roads. The left lane will close while crews build a storm drain across the road.
• Monday, April 4 until Friday, April 20. Continuous closure. Southbound frontage road between Walzem and Eisenhauer. The left lane will close while crews build a storm drain across the road.

I-37 – South San Antonio

• Saturday, April 2. 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. Southbound main lanes between Military Drive and I-410. The right lane will close while crews repair the road surface. This closure includes the entrance from Military Drive and the exit to I-410. Traffic from Military will take WW White to reach I-410, turn around at Pecan Valley and reach I-37. Traffic to I-410 will exit U.S. 181, turn around and approach on northbound I-37.

I-410 – East San Antonio

• Saturday, April 2. 3 a.m. until 9 a.m. Northbound connector to northbound I-35. All lanes will close while crews move barrier. Traffic will exit Space Center, follow the access road through Rittiman Road and enter northbound I-35.

I-410 – Northwest San Antonio

• Current through Thursday, April 7. 9 p.m. until 5 a.m. nightly. Southbound frontage road between West Military Drive and Hwy 151. The right lane will close while trucks unload equipment.
• Monday-Tuesday, April 4-5. 9 p.m. until 5 a.m. Southbound frontage road between Culebra Road and Hwy 151. The right lane will close while crews pour concrete.
• Monday-Tuesday, April 4-5. 9 p.m. until 5 a.m. Northbound frontage road between Hwy 151 and Culebra Road. All lanes will close briefly as needed to install light fixtures. Traffic will be controlled by off-duty police officers.
• Wednesday-Friday, April 6-8. 9 p.m. until 5 a.m. Northbound frontage road between Hwy 151 and West Military Drive. The right lane will close while crews set bridge support beams.

U.S. Hwy 90 – West San Antonio

• Current until May 2016. Westbound frontage road between Hunt Lane and East Kriewald. The frontage road will close while crews reconstruct the Medio Creek Bridge.

U.S. Hwy 281 – North San Antonio

• Sunday-Monday, April 3-4. 6 p.m. until 5:30 a.m. Southbound main lanes between Mountain Lodge and Stone Oak Parkway. The right lane will close while crews do survey work.

Loop 1604 – Northwest San Antonio

• Current through Sunday, April 10. 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. daily. Southbound frontage road between Bandera and Braun roads. The right lane will close while crews do concrete work.
• Current through Sunday, April 10. 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. daily. Southbound frontage road at Helotes Creek. The right lane will close while crews do concrete work.
• Current through Thursday, April 14. Continuous closure. Southbound frontage road between Helotes Creek to Shaenfield Road. The left lane will close while crews construct concrete barrier.
• Current through Thursday, April 14. 9 p.m. until 5 a.m. nightly. Main lanes, both directions, at Hwy 151. All lanes will close while crews do overhead bridge work. Traffic will exit Hwy 151, follow the frontage road and re-enter the highway. Northbound traffic will actually use Hwy 151 and turn around at Wiseman to continue along northbound Lp 1604.
• Current through Thursday, April 21. Continuous closure. Northbound frontage road between Braun and Bandera Roads. The right lane will close while crews do concrete work.
• Saturday-Sunday, April 2-3. 3 a.m. until noon daily. Southbound main lanes at Bandera and Culebra roads. The main lanes will close while crews do full-depth asphalt reconstruction. Traffic will exit Bandera Road and follow the frontage road through Culebra Road to reach its destination.
• Sunday-Sunday, April 4-10. 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. daily. South-to-north turnaround at Shaenfield. The turnaround will close while crews do concrete work.

Hwy 151 – West San Antonio

• Current until Friday, July 1 at 5 p.m. East-to-West turnaround at I-410. The turnaround will close while crews work on bridge support structures overhead.
• Current until December 2016. Westbound exit ramp to Ingram and Potranco roads. The ramp will remain closed while crews install bridge support structures for the direct connector ramps being constructed.
• Current until December 2016. Eastbound entrance ramp from Ingram and Potranco roads. The ramp will remain closed while crews install bridge support structures for the direct connector ramps being constructed.
• Sunday-Thursday, April 3-7. 9 p.m. until 5 a.m. nightly. Westbound main lanes between I-410 and Hunt Lane. The right lane will close while crews set barrier.
• Sunday-Thursday, April 3-7. 9 p.m. until 5 a.m. nightly. Westbound frontage road between I-410 and Hunt Lane. The left lane will close while crews set barrier.
• Tuesday, April 5. 12:01 a.m. until 5 a.m. Eastbound frontage road between Ingram Road and I-410. All lanes will close briefly as needed while crews install light fixtures. Traffic will be controlled by off-duty police officers.
• Wednesday-Friday, April 6-8. 9 p.m. until 5 a.m. Westbound frontage road between West Military and I-410. The frontage road will be down to a single lane while delivery trucks wait to set beams on the I-410 northbound frontage road.

Other roads – East San Antonio

• Monday-Friday, April 4-8. 9 p.m. until 5 a.m. nightly. Randolph Boulevard, both directions, between Crestway and I-35. Both lanes will close while crews work on retaining walls. Traffic will be moved through the work area by off-duty police officers.

Other roads – Northwest San Antonio

• Monday-Friday, April 4-8. 8:30 p.m. until 5:30 a.m. nightly. Culebra Road, both directions, between Timberhill and Loop 1604. Alternating lanes will close while crews resurface the road.

All closures are pending weather.

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).