Nine quick project updates

No matter what part of San Antonio you're driving in, chances are you're encountering a construction project. Though we have dozens of projects active right now, we needed to focus on the biggest jobs we have going.
If you've been bitten by the curiosity bug (or no someone who has), take a gander and share this with your friends. We're trying to keep each of these updates brief, so this should go pretty fast:


US 281
We ceremoniously broke ground on this project March 31 and have since been awaiting some paperwork that will allow Webber Construction to get rolling. That paperwork was resting with the Texas Commission for Environmental Quality and the Environmental Protection Agency, and we believe the paperwork is now on its way back to us. As soon as we get that paperwork in hand we'll be able to get working. Bottom line: we're hoping to be underway in June.


I-35 SAMMC
Some have called or emailed in regarding the southbound I-410 exit to Binz-Engleman, which has been closed since we moved traffic onto the new southbound I-35 connector to southbound I-410. Long story short we needed Lane Construction to rebuild the ramp to fit the new connector road, and that should be done here in the next few weeks (translation: mid-June).


1604-151
Work between Bandera and Culebra is long done, and now our work at the intersection of Hwy 151 and Loop 1604 is finished as well. In fact, lingering questions regarding the intersection of Alamo Ranch Parkway and Westwood Loop will not be addressed by our project; those will go to Bexar County Public Works instead. We are looking into some options for highway signs to get traffic from Hwy 151 to Culebra Road, though.


Loop 1604 Northwest
If you've not driven 1604 south of Hwy 151 lately ... well, you may be surprised by what you find. We've got Zachry Construction getting it done between Wiseman and Potranco, and Webber is at work between Potranco and US 90. Heck, they've been at it for six months already, and it's getting obvious. Webber is gearing up to set bridge support beams for what will be the southbound overpass at Potranco Road in the next few weeks, and Zachry continues to work hard to build those southbound lanes on the length of their project.


Potranco Road
The medians are intended to restrict left-turn movements, so if your top complaint is that you can no longer turn left where you wanted ... well, that means the median is doing its job. Yes, the cuts in the median were carefully thought out (read more on this here). We are very near finishing work here, and should be wrapped up and have a final product for you by the end of the month, weather permitting.


UTSA Boulevard
This is another project that's wrapping up. We're resurfacing the project between Ximenes and almost I-10 right now and hope to be out of there in June. The city's portion of the project (between Ximenes and Babcock) still has work to finish, but our end of things is nearly complete.


I-10 Leon Springs
The new eastbound exit ramp to Dominion Drive is open (as of Thursday last week) and traffic is finally in its final configuration between Ralph Fair Road and Dominion Drive. We still have a few minor things to wrap up, but we should be out of people's way. Expect to see Texas Sterling begin putting the final course of asphalt on the road later this week, if weather cooperates. That process should take no more than two weeks to wrap up.


151-410
Yep, we've got a ton of overnight closures in this area right now. Crews are working hard to get whatever bridge beams set they can and are working particularly hard on the bridge structures making up the new exit ramps along northbound and southbound I-410 around Culebra Road. The northbound ramp to Culebra that's been closed since late last year is progressing, and should be reopened in August. Overall completion for this project is still set for next year.


90-410
Williams Brothers is moving pretty darned fast on this project and are focusing on the foundational structures near the intersection of I-410 and US 90 itself. As this work ramps up (and work on US 90 between Loop 1604 and I-410 winds down over the next couple months) expect to see things hit the intensity we're now seeing at 151-410. The two projects are, after all, pretty darned identical. By the way, that mess on the southbound side between Hwy 151 and Marbach is something we're trying to get fixed. The redundant exit ramps will be a major item we address with the project.

Next week's construction-related closures

I-10 – Kerr County

• Current until Friday, July 7, at 5 p.m. Westbound exit ramp to FM 783 (Ingram Road) and eastbound entrance ramp from FM 783. The ramps will remain closed while crews rebuild the roadway. Traffic will use FM 783, Hwy 27 and Hwy 16 to reach its destination (the route is marked).

I-10 – Seguin

• Current through Monday, May 29 at 4 p.m. Westbound frontage road between Business 123 and Grein Place. Alternating lanes will close while crews convert the frontage road to one-way only. This closure includes the intersection of Guadalupe Street as needed.

I-10 – East San Antonio

• Sunday-Monday, May 14-15. 9 p.m. until 5 a.m. Eastbound frontage road at I-410. The right lane will close while crews remove barrier.

I-35 – Northeast San Antonio

• Current until Tuesday, August 1 at 5 a.m. Turnarounds, both directions, at Walzem Road. The turnarounds will remain closed while crews do overhead bridge work.
• Monday-Tuesday, May 15-16. 9 p.m. until 5 a.m. Northbound main lanes between George Beach and the I-410 overpass. The left lane will close while crews pull power lines.
• Monday-Friday, May 15-19. 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. daily. Southbound exit ramp to AT&T Center Parkway. The ramp will close while crews do concrete work. Crews will ensure the ramp is open for traffic headed to major events at the AT&T Center. Traffic will use the next exit and turn around to reach its destination.
• Monday-Friday, May 15-19. 9 p.m. until 5 a.m. daily. Main lanes, both directions, between I-410 and Eisenhauer Road. Alternating lanes will close while crews do road work.

I-35 – Downtown

• Current until Wednesday, May 31. 9 p.m. until 5 a.m. nightly. Main lanes, both directions, at U.S. Hwy 90. The left lane will close while crews do bridge work.
• Monday, May 15. 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. Southbound main lanes between I-410 and Broadway. The two left lanes will close while crews install guardrail.
• Tuesday-Friday, May 16-19. 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. daily. Northbound main lanes at AT&T Center Parkway. The right lane will close while crews do concrete work.

I-410 – East San Antonio

• Current until Wednesday, May 31. 9 p.m. until 5 a.m. nightly. Southbound connector ramp to eastbound I-10. The ramp will close while crews move barrier. Traffic will exit Houston Street, turn around and approach eastbound I-10 from the northbound lanes.
• Sunday-Monday, May 14-15. 9 p.m. until 5 a.m. Southbound connector to eastbound I-10. The connector will close while crews remove barrier. Traffic will use the next available ramp and turn around to reach its destination.

I-410 – Northwest San Antonio

• Current until August 31. Northbound exit to Culebra Road. The exit will close while crews widen the main lanes and frontage road. Traffic will exit Ingram Road, turn around and get to Culebra on the southbound frontage road.
• Saturday, May 13 at 5 a.m. until Sunday, May 14 at 5 a.m. Southbound main lanes between Ingram Road and Hwy 151. The two right lanes will close while crews place steel beams over Leon Creek. This closure includes the exit ramps to Military Drive and Hwy 151 and the entrance ramp from Culebra Road. Traffic will turn around at Marbach and approach their destinations from northbound I-410.
• Monday-Friday, May 15-19. 9 p.m. until 5 a.m. nightly. Main lanes, both directions, between Ingram Road and Hwy 151. The two left lanes will close while crews work on the median barrier.
• Monday-Friday, May 15-19. 9 p.m. until 5 a.m. nightly. Southbound frontage road at Hwy 151. The right lane will close while crews do overhead bridge work.
• Thursday-Friday, May 18-19. 9 p.m. until 5 a.m. Southbound main lanes between Ingram Road and Military Drive. The two right lanes will close while crews hang concrete bridge beams. This closure includes the entrance ramp from Culebra Road and the exit ramp to Military Drive. Traffic will use the next available ramp.

U.S. Hwy 90 – West San Antonio

• Wednesday-Thursday, May 17-18. 8:30 a.m. until 3 p.m. Eastbound frontage road between Hunt Lane and Carlitos Way. The left lane will close while crews set barrier.

U.S. Hwy 90 – Downtown San Antonio

• Current through June 1. Eastbound exit ramp to I-35. The ramp has been reduced to a single lane while crews do bridge repair work.
• Current until Wednesday, May 31. 9 p.m. until 5 a.m. nightly. Eastbound exit ramp to northbound I-35. The ramp will close while crews do bridge repair work. Traffic will exit Theo Malone and turn around to reach northbound I-35.

U.S. Hwy 281 – North-central San Antonio

• Monday-Friday, May 15-19. 9 p.m. until 6 a.m. Southbound main lanes between Hildebrand and St. Mary’s. The exit ramp to Hildebrand and entrance ramps from Hildebrand, Mulberry Road and St. Mary’s will close as needed while crews resurface the road. Traffic will use the next available ramp and to reach its destination.
• Sunday-Wednesday, May 14-17. 9 p.m. until 6 a.m. Southbound main lanes between I-35 and I-410. The right lane will close while crews resurface the road.
• Monday-Tuesday, May 15-16. 9 p.m. until 6 a.m. Northbound exit and entrance ramps around Jones-Maltsberger. The ramps will close while crews resurface the road.

Hwy 151 – Northwest San Antonio

• Current until August 31. Westbound exit ramp to Hunt Lane. The exit will close while crews work on retaining walls. Traffic will exit Ingram Road and follow the frontage road to reach its destination.
• Monday-Friday, May 15-19. 9 p.m. until 5 a.m. nightly. Eastbound frontage road between Ingram Road and I-410. The left lane will close while crews do overhead bridge work. This closure includes the entrance ramp from Ingram Road. Traffic will use the next available ramp.

Other roads – Seguin

• Current until August 31. Austin Street between Martindale and Seidman. The road will be converted to one-way only, moving southbound only, while crews do road work. Northbound traffic will use Guadalupe Street to reach its destination.
• Saturday, April 29 at 6 a.m. until Sunday, April 30 at 6 a.m. The intersection of Rosemary Street and Austin Street. The intersection will close in all directions while crews install utility lines. Traffic will follow the posted detour route.

Other roads – Boerne

• Sunday-Friday, May 14-19. 9 p.m. until 5 a.m. nightly. Hwy 46, both directions, between Ammann Road and Rust Lane as well as between Loubach Run and Oak Cliff Drive. Alternating lanes will close while crews move barrier.

Other roads – Northeast San Antonio

• Friday, May 19 at 9 p.m. until Sunday, May 21 at 5 a.m. Walzem, both directions, at I-35. All lanes will close while crews do overhead bridge work. Traffic will use the frontage road to the next intersection and turn around to reach its destination.

All closures are pending weather.

Next week's construction-related closures

I-10 – Kerr County

• Current until Friday, July 7, at 5 p.m. Westbound exit ramp to FM 783 (Ingram Road) and eastbound entrance ramp from FM 783. The ramps will remain closed while crews rebuild the roadway. Traffic will use FM 783, Hwy 27 and Hwy 16 to reach its destination (the route is marked).

I-10 – Seguin

• Current through Monday, May 29 at 4 p.m. Westbound frontage road between Business 123 and Grein Place. Alternating lanes will close while crews convert the frontage road to one-way only. This closure includes the intersection of Guadalupe Street as needed.
• Sunday-Tuesday, May 7-9. 9 p.m. until 7 a.m. Westbound main lanes between Business 123 and FM 78. The right lane will close while crews resurface the road.
• Tuesday-Wednesday, May 9-10. 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. daily. Eastbound main lanes between Hwy 46 and Business 123. The right lane will close while crews set barrier and mark the roadway. The ramp to Business 123 will remain open.
• Wednesday-Thursday, May 10-11. 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. daily. Westbound main lanes between Business 123 and FM 78. The right lane will close while crews set barrier and mark the roadway.

I-10 – Northwest San Antonio

• Wednesday-Thursday, May 10-11. 9 p.m. until 5 a.m. Eastbound main lanes between Boerne Stage Road and Dominion Drive. The right lane will close while crews move barrier.

I-35 – New Braunfels

• Current until Monday, May 12 at 5 a.m. Southbound entrance ramp from FM 725. The ramp will close while crews do repair work. Traffic will use the next available ramp.
• Current until Monday, May 12 at 5 a.m. Southbound main lanes between FM 725 and Schmidt Street. The two right lanes will remain closed while crews repair the road. The main lanes of I-35 will be reduced to two lanes during this period.
• Sunday, May 7 until Friday, May 12. 9 p.m. until 6 a.m. nightly. Northbound main lanes between Schmidt Street and FM 725. Alternating lanes will close while crews repair the roadway.
• Sunday-Friday, May 7-12. 9 p.m. until 6 a.m. Southbound main lanes between FM 306 and the Comal-Hayes county line. Alternating lanes will close while crews resurface the road.
• Wednesday, May 10. 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. Southbound main lanes between Conrads-Kohlenberg and FM 306. The right lane will close while crews do guardrail work.
• Thursday, May 11. 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. Northbound main lanes at FM 306. The right lane will close while crews work on guardrail.
• Friday, May 12. 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. Southbound main lanes at FM 306. The right lane will close while crews do guardrail work.

I-35 – Northeast San Antonio

• Monday-Tuesday, May 8-9. 9 p.m. until 5 a.m. Main lanes, both directions, at New Braunfels Avenue. All lanes will close while crews set bridge support beams. Traffic will exit New Braunfels Avenue, pass through the intersection and re-enter the highway. This closure includes the New Braunfels Avenue bridge. Traffic will use Walters Street to cross I-35.
• Monday, May 8 at 9 p.m. until Tuesday, August 1 at 5 a.m. Turnarounds, both directions, at Walzem Road. The turnarounds will remain closed while crews do overhead bridge work.

I-35 – Downtown

• Sunday, May 7 until Wednesday, May 31. 9 p.m. until 5 a.m. nightly. Main lanes, both directions, at U.S. Hwy 90. The left lane will close while crews do bridge work.
• Monday-Tuesday, May 8-9. 9 p.m. until 5 a.m. Northbound main lanes between I-10 and I-37. All lower-level lanes will close while crews do overhead work. Traffic will follow the posted detour route.

I-410 – East San Antonio

• Sunday-Wednesday, May 7-10. 9 p.m. until 5 a.m. nightly. Southbound main lanes at Houston Street. All lanes will close while crews move barrier. Traffic will exit Houston Street, continue through the intersection and re-enter the highway.
• Sunday, May 7 until Wednesday, May 31. 9 p.m. until 5 a.m. nightly. Southbound connector ramp to eastbound I-10. The ramp will close while crews move barrier. Traffic will exit Houston Street, turn around and approach eastbound I-10 from the northbound lanes.

I-410 – Northwest San Antonio

• Current until August 31. Northbound exit to Culebra Road. The exit will close while crews widen the main lanes and frontage road. Traffic will exit Ingram Road, turn around and get to Culebra on the southbound frontage road.
• Current until Friday, May 12. 9 p.m. until 5 a.m. nightly. Southbound frontage road between Military Drive and Hwy 151. The right lane will close while crews remove overhead bridge brackets.
• Sunday-Friday, May 7-12. 9 p.m. until 5 a.m. nightly. Main lanes, both directions, between Ingram Road and Hwy 151. The two left lanes will close while crews do road work.
• Monday, May 8. 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. Southbound main lanes at U.S. Hwy 90. The right lane will close while crews install a light pole.
• Monday-Thursday, May 8-11. 9 p.m. until 5 a.m. nightly. Main lanes, both directions, between Marbach and U.S. Hwy 90. Alternating lanes will close while crews move barrier.
• Saturday, May 13 at 5 a.m. until Sunday, May 14 at 5 a.m. Southbound main lanes between Ingram Road and Hwy 151. The two right lanes will close while crews place steel beams over Leon Creek. This closure includes the exit ramps to Military Drive and Hwy 151 and the entrance ramp from Culebra Road. Traffic will turn around at Marbach and approach their destinations from northbound I-410.

U.S. Hwy 90 – West San Antonio

• Sunday-Tuesday, May 7-9. 9 p.m. until 5:30 a.m. nightly. Westbound main lanes between Hunt Lane and Loop 1604. All lanes will close while crews build overhead highway signs. Traffic will exit Hunt Lane, follow the frontage road and re-enter the highway at the next available ramp.

U.S. Hwy 90 – Downtown San Antonio

• Current through June 1. Eastbound exit ramp to I-35. The ramp has been reduced to a single lane while crews do bridge repair work.
• Sunday, May 7 until Wednesday, May 31. 9 p.m. until 5 a.m. nightly. Eastbound exit ramp to northbound I-35. The ramp will close while crews do bridge repair work. Traffic will exit Theo Malone and turn around to reach northbound I-35.

U.S. Hwy 281 – North-central San Antonio

• Sunday-Friday, May 7-12. 9 p.m. until 6 a.m. nightly. Southbound main lanes between I-410 and Hildebrand. The right lanes will close while crews resurface the road.
• Sunday-Friday, May 7-12. 9 p.m. until 6 a.m. nightly. Main lanes, both directions, between Rhapsody Drive and I-410. The left lanes will close while crews restripe the road.

Hwy 151 – Northwest San Antonio

• Current until Friday, May 12. 9 p.m. until 5 a.m. nightly. Eastbound frontage road between Ingram Road and I-410. The left lane will close while crews remove overhead bridge brackets.
• Current until August 31. Westbound exit ramp to Hunt Lane. The exit will close while crews work on retaining walls. Traffic will exit Ingram Road and follow the frontage road to reach its destination.

Loop 1604 – Northwest San Antonio

• Monday-Friday, May 8-12. 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. daily. Southbound main lanes at Potranco Road. The left turn lane will close while crews install concrete medians on Potranco Road. Traffic will turn from the thru lanes. Traffic control officers will be on hand to ensure safety.
• Monday-Friday, May 8-12. 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. daily. Main lanes, both directions, between Military Drive and Cross Road. The left lane will close in each direction while crews install medians.

Other roads – New Braunfels

• Sunday-Friday, May 7-12. 8 p.m. until 6 a.m. nightly. Hwy 46, both directions, between Prairie View Road and I-35. Alternating lanes will close while crews repair the road.

Other roads – Seguin

• Current until August 31. Austin Street between Martindale and Seidman. The road will be converted to one-way only, moving southbound only, while crews do road work. Northbound traffic will use Guadalupe Street to reach its destination.
• Saturday, April 29 at 6 a.m. until Sunday, April 30 at 6 a.m. The intersection of Rosemary Street and Austin Street. The intersection will close in all directions while crews install utility lines. Traffic will follow the posted detour route.

Other roads – Boerne

• Wednesday-Friday, May 10-12. 9 p.m. until 5 a.m. nightly. Hwy 46, both directions, between Ammann Road and Rust lane as well as between Loubach Run and Oak Cliff Drive. Alternating lanes will close while crews move barrier.
• Sunday-Thursday, May 14-18. 9 p.m. until 5 a.m. nightly. Hwy 46, both directions, between Ammann Road and Rust Lane as well as between Loubach Run and Oak Cliff Drive. Alternating lanes will close while crews move barrier.

Other roads – Northeast San Antonio

• Friday, May 19 at 9 p.m. until Sunday, May 21 at 5 a.m. Walzem, both directions, at I-35. All lanes will close while crews do overhead bridge work. Traffic will use the frontage road to the next intersection and turn around to reach its destination.

Other roads – Northwest San Antonio

• Monday-Friday, May 8-12. 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. daily. Potranco Road, both directions, between Rousseau and Loop 1604. The inside lane will close in each direction while crews install concrete medians.

All closures are pending weather.

Planning a cohesive system

We had a big question come from Ralph a few weeks ago, and it took a little doing to get a good answer. He asked:
When you expand I-10 or US281 on the North side, why not add at least one more outbound lane than inbound lanes. Outbound lanes function like a "drain" and the faster you get cars out of the city, the less strain you place on the highways that are in the city. Too many inbound lanes can cause overload on the roads in the city so inbound lanes and outbound lanes function differently from a system level. So, add more outbound lanes. You do not need an equal number of inbound and outbound lanes.

To begin, Ralph, we have a major challenge to accommodate the more-than 150 new cars on San Antonio-area roads popping up daily while meeting current needs. Yes, you read that right. We have been adding more than 150 new cars (per the San Antonio Mobility Coalition) to the roadways in the San Antonio metro area alone every single day for the last few years.
There's a bit of a process that goes into determining where to bring major capital improvements and how to address current and future demands. We begin by measuring traffic volumes - as well as projections - for both inbound and outbound directions on our major corridors. Thanks to new technologies we're able to make pretty good determinations regarding the origin and destination of these trips as well.

What we are finding is these volumes (and future projections) are pretty darned equal for both inbound and outbound traffic. That is, just as many people are using those inbound routes as are using outbound routes. The data shows us the strain on surface streets is pretty similar between evening and morning hours.
We take these findings to a determining body responsible for planning a cohesive system - in the case of the San Antonio metro area, we go to the Alamo Area Metropolitan Planning Organization. This group allows us to place our projected development projects in context with future development by city and county governments. In short, the MPO looks at the transportation system as a one-piece body and ensures development by one agency coincides with development with other agencies.

With the needs identified by the MPO, an extensive public involvement process ensues. Armed with the public input and significant data from state and local engineers (and consultants), priorities are determined.
Then we have to identify funding - which is much easier said than done.
The details of the projects are designed during the funding process, and our designs are vetted by you through open house meetings. (Seriously, we do change designs based on public input - it happens all the time.)
With public input we finalize the details of plans and let the project for bids. By rule we offer the contract to the lowest bonded bidder, then approve the contract through the Texas Transportation Commission. It takes about three months to get the contract signed and the contractor ready to go (typically), then we get going on the project.
Whew.

That's the process, Ralph. But to answer your question much more directly, we don't add an additional lane to the outbound traffic because we typically see the same demand on both directions of traffic. One option that might come in to play later on to accomplish what you're suggesting, and as local needs increase, is to use reversible highway lanes ... but that's something folks here simply haven't been ready to implement yet. You may see it used in the future, though - particularly as HOV lanes take shape with more efficiency in the region and mass transit becomes more important to the Alamo City.

Historic transportation plan gets another boost

The Texas Transportation Commission recently approved an update of TxDOT’s $70 billion Unified Transportation Program (UTP). The UTP represents a 10-year project funding outlook that includes new plans to add or improve more than 1,200 miles of roadways to improve safety and mobility, and reduce congestion.
Seventy billion dollars is an historic amount of funding. It includes over $38 billion in additional funding, which Gov. Abbott and the Legislature presented to the public for approval as Proposition 7 and the ending of diversions of highway funds for other purposes. The 12,000 men and women of TxDOT stand ready to immediately execute on these projects that will keep people and freight moving safely and efficiently throughout our state.
Texas is a dynamic state with a robust economy. With more than 27 million people living in Texas – a number that is expected to double by the year 2050 – this transportation funding is not only more than welcome, it’s absolutely crucial to our overall quality of life, economic health and global competitiveness. TxDOT is committed to anticipating and addressing the transportation demands of our entire state. The 10-year plan, the largest in TxDOT history, dedicates funding to address safety, maintenance and rural connectivity needs across all 25 TxDOT districts and 25 metropolitan planning areas throughout the state.
Gov. Abbott has charged the Texas Transportation Commission with addressing the growing congestion problem facing our largest and most congested metro areas. Ninety-seven of Texas’ Top 100 congested roadways are in the five major metro areas, resulting in the average driver in those areas losing over 52 hours last year while suffering through traffic chokepoints. Over the next four years, $2.5 billion of the influx of new dollars will fund 19 much-needed new projects in Austin, Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston and San Antonio through a program called Texas Clear Lanes. This program is intended to add capacity and improvements to some of our most notorious areas of gridlock in those major cities. In addition, the Commission has targeted funds to improve our major transportation and trade corridors, energy sector roads and hurricane evacuation routes.
There is still much to be done. Next August, the Commission will be programming additional projects within the monies available to it. TxDOT is reaching out for public input as it works with transportation professionals and other stakeholder groups throughout the state to ensure a quality planning process.
The members of the Texas Transportation Commission – Jeff Austin of Tyler, Victor Vandergriff of Arlington, J. Bruce Bugg, Jr., of San Antonio, Laura Ryan of Houston and me, from Odessa – have worked diligently to maximize the resources that Gov. Abbott, the Legislature and taxpayers of this state have provided to us. As the Commission and the department which it oversees, TxDOT, celebrate their 100-year anniversary, we are ever more dedicated to serving the public and continuing the tradition of excellence that has been established by those who served before us.

Tryon Lewis
Chairman, Texas Transportation Commission