By Edmond Ortiz
The state’s highway agency is kicking off a new project to produce a unique intersection meant to improve traffic mobility and reduce accident potential at a key South Side intersection.
Officials from the Texas Department of Transportation, city of San Antonio and regional partners gathered Sept. 24 to mark the start of construction of a diverging diamond interchange at Interstate 37 and Southeast Military Drive.
A diverging diamond interchange temporarily shifts crossroad traffic to the opposite side of the roadway through a series of crossovers.
Roadway planners said the DDI, a newer kind of road construction design that has emerged in recent years, reduces the potential for left‑turn conflicts with opposing traffic, and cuts down the number of locations where vehicles can cross paths.
TxDOT just began operating San Antonio’s first diverging diamond interchange at Blanco Road and Loop 1604 in recent months.
The two-mile South Side project, which concludes in 2029, will entail:
- Addition of a bypass ramp above the diverging diamond interchange
- Construction of a southbound I-37 frontage road with a transition into an auxiliary mainlane, which will end at the exit ramp to Loop 410
- Addition of 10-foot-wide shared-use paths in both directions for bicyclists and pedestrians
Guest speakers at the ground-breaking ceremony said the $40 million project will upgrade traffic flow, safety and commerce in a fast-growing part of the San Antonio area, which includes the Brooks mixed-use community.
Area residents, merchants and commuters are urged to sign up for project updates at the project webpage.
