By Edmond Ortiz
Bexar County Commissioners took action Jan. 20 to approve a large-scale road widening project and a park improvement initiative, with both efforts designed to positively impact opposite parts of the county.
Blanco Road
Commissioners awarded a $28.2 million bid to the construction firm Dan Williams Co. to oversee the expansion of Blanco Road from Borgfeld Road to the Comal County line.
This will be the third and final phase of a years-long effort to widen and improve Blanco Road on the far North Side. The project will involve turning this stretch of Blanco Road from a two-lane roadway to a four-lane corridor, and include drainage, bicycle lane and sidewalk improvements.
County officials said construction is slated to begin this March and continue for two years. County officials added that 80% of the project cost is reimbursable as it is federally funded through the Alamo Area Metropolitan Planning Organization.
Pct. 3 Commissioner Grant Moody, who represents the area, said widening Blanco Road in the far north central part of Bexar County will help to boost traffic mobility and upgrade safety for pedestrians and cyclists in an area that continues to see population and commercial growth.
Moody also said he has talked with Comal County officials about improvements that they could possibly apply to their segment of the roadway, which stretches to Texas 46.
“This will take some pressure off the corridor, but only if we finish it to Highway 46,” Moody said.
Macdona Plaza Park
Commissioners also voted Jan. 20 to approve an $8.9 million agreement between the county and SpawGlass Contractors, a firm that will lead an improvement project at Macdona Plaza Park on the Southwest Side.
For now, the park is mainly an open space with few amenities, but neighborhood residents have asked for improvements to complement an increasing number of needs, including fields that can accommodate fledgling youth baseball groups.
According to county officials, plans for the multi-phase park improvement project call for construction of a playground, asphalt parking lot, a restroom/concession area, a pavilion, a trail, a sports court, two baseball fields, and three soccer fields.
Bexar County initially received a $1.2 million federal grant in 2023 to help fund upgrades at the park; the county secured an additional $6.2 million in 2024 for the project. Rialto Studios will design the improvements.
Other planned upgrades will include ADA-compliant sidewalks, and new fencing, the latter of which will be designed to discourage illegal dumping within the park, county officials said.
Pct. 1 Commissioner Rebeca Clay-Flores said the Macdona Plaza Park project is not only a transformative initiative for the community, it could have remained a public safety challenge in its current state. She added that illegal dumping at the park has been a major problem, especially in places where youths are playing baseball and other sports there.
“It could’ve been a legal issue with children falling and getting hurt,” she added.
