By Edmond Ortiz
This edition of Transit Tracker highlights the state’s plan to widen a portion of Potranco Road through a growing Far West Side neighborhood.
Elsewhere, motorists are urged to beware closures that are taking place during two key North Side freeway projects.
Additionally, a mass transit agency’s on-demand rideshare program is rolling out a pilot initiative targeting overnight users.
Also, check out notable infrastructure projects happening in other parts of San Antonio and Fair Oaks Ranch, and public informational meetings on upcoming road works on the near West Side and in New Braunfels.
SAN ANTONIO
Ongoing work
Texas Department of Transportation is keeping the eastbound Loop 410 exit ramp to San Pedro Avenue, McCullough Avenue and Jones Maltsberger Road closed through 5 a.m. Oct. 24 as part of efforts to improve the 410 and U.S. 281 traffic corridor.
The closure allows construction workers to remove the eastbound 410 entrance ramp at Blanco. Two right lanes on I-410 and one left frontage road lane also are closed.
During the closure, drivers are asked to continue east along the 410 frontage road past San Pedro and use the next entrance ramp just beyond the intersection. Drivers should remain on the frontage road and avoid the McCullough Avenue flyover.
Crews working on the Interstate 35 expansion project through the Northeast Side recently placed the project’s 1,000th beam, bringing the total girder installation to 58% complete on the southern part of the project.
As part of the I-15 project, the northbound I-35 frontage road between Space Center Drive and Rittiman Road remains closed 9 p.m.-5 a.m. daily through Oct. 22, and 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Oct. 23.
Other alternating lane closures and overnight closures along I-35 are occurring through Oct. 26 between Binz-Engleman Road, North Walters Street and Frost Bank Drive.
As part of TxDOT’s Loop 1604 expansion project, workers will close northbound and southbound U.S. 281 main and frontage lanes at the 1604 intersection from 9 p.m. Oct. 23 through 5 a.m. Oct. 26. Drivers looking to continue on the northbound 281 main lanes through 1604 will take the Henderson Pass exit to the northbound 281 frontage road. Motorists wanting to continue on the southbound 281 main lanes through 1604 will use the Redland Road exit to the southbound 281 frontage road.
Contractors are currently building foundations for the future Loop 1604 flyover ramp at U.S. 90, while new frontage roads are already in place along segments of the corridor. This is part of an expansion of Highway 90 between Loop 410 and Texas 211.
The San Antonio Water System is starting work Oct. 26 on replacing a water main along Hildebrand Avenue between McCullough Avenue and Devine Road. When SAWS water main work is finished next March, the city plans to upgrade the surface of this segment of Hildebrand.
Crews recently shifted Culebra Park-area street repairs to the opposite side of Laven Drive and Pettus Street, with the closure of the east side between Culebra Road and Pettus, and the south side between Laven and Brendell Street. Motorists are asked to use Culebra Road, El Centro Street and San Benito Drive. The bond-funded $8 million West Side improvement project is scheduled to continue through next summer.
Contractors recently fully closed UTSA Boulevard between Babcock Road and North Hills Village Drive as part of a Babcock Road improvement project.
The closure will continue through early November. The bond-funded, $10.9 million project will affect Babcock between UTSA Boulevard and West Hausman Road, and is slated to end this coming winter.
VIA Metropolitan Transit has incorporated multiple lane closures and turn access restrictions as part of its development of Rapid Green Line dedicated bus service. The Rapid Green Line will stretch along San Pedro Avenue from the San Antonio International Airport to the Missions area on the South Side. Current lane closures include San Pedro between Cypress and Laurel streets, and Clower and Hermine streets.
Informational meetings
An open house is being held 5-7 p.m. Oct. 21 at the San Antonio Glasshouse, 3847 Grosenbacher Road, regarding proposed improvements for Farm Road 1957/Potranco Road. TxDOT is proposing upgrades to increase mobility and safety on this stretch of Far West Side roadway between County Road 381 and Texas 211, including expanding the two-lane road to six lanes with raised concrete medians, a curb, paths for bicyclists and pedestrians, and drainage improvements. A virtual version of the open house is being offered, too.
The city of San Antonio will have an open house at 6 p.m. Oct. 27 at Bazan Branch Library., 2200 W. Commerce St., about planned bicycle and pedestrian improvements along North Frio Street.
VIA pilot program begins
VIA Metropolitan Transit on Oct. 19 launched a pilot program involving on-demand overnight rides between downtown and neighborhoods inside Loop 410.
VIA Link After Midnight will operate from midnight to 4 a.m. weekdays. Customers can travel in either direction between downtown and any bus stop inside Loop 410 for $1.30, VIA’s standard fare, with discounted fares available to those who qualify.
Trips can be booked through the VIA Link app or by calling 210-655-LINK (5465). VIA expects wait times of less than 20 minutes, according to a news release. If no VIA Link vehicle is available when a customer requests a ride, the program will dispatch an Uber or Lyft vehicle.
“San Antonio doesn’t shut down at midnight, and neither should the ways people get around it,” VIA President and CEO Jon Gary Herrera said in an announcement. “Nurses, hotel staff, restaurant and bar teams — the people who keep this city running around the clock deserve a safe, affordable ride home when their shift ends. This pilot gives them one, and it will help us learn how to better serve late-night riders going forward.”
NEW BRAUNFELS
The city will host an open house 5-6:30 p.m. Oct. 22 at the New Braunfels Utilities Service Center, 355 FM 306, about roadway improvement projects on South Kowald Lane and Conrads Lane, both funded through the city’s 2023 bond program.
The city has begun work on $7.1 million worth of drainage, utility and pedestrian improvements on Coll Street between Castell Avenue and the Comal River. Work will generally take place from 7 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday-Saturday. This project is Phase 1 of the overall South Castell Avenue visioning plan, and is being funded by the New Braunfels Economic Development Corp.
FAIR OAKS RANCH
Contractors are beginning a second leg of road work related to the reconstruction of Dietz Elkhorn Road at 3:30 p.m. Oct. 23 after area school pickup.
Dietz Elkhorn will be fully closed between Chartwell Lane and Ralph Fair Road for two to three weeks. All traffic on Dietz Elkhorn and Chartwell Lane will be detoured to Saddle Song.
