Construction suppliers rally for new fed transpo bill
Congress has yet to approve a new, comprehensive surface transportation bill to replace the previous legislation (known as “SAFETEA-LU”) that expired last year, instead opting to keep it on life-support through a series of short-term extensions. The resulting lack of certainty over future funding– as well as limited funding in those extensions– is severely crippling the construction industry, that according to several speakers at a noontime rally outside San Antonio’s convention center yesterday that attracted about 100 people.
Kay’s transportation vision less than 20/20
For the past week or so, I’ve been watching the drama unfold as Kay Bailey Hutchison announced the transportation plank of her platform for governor and the ensuing television ad and Rick Perry’s counter-ad. The use of the DMS signs was clever, but her message shows a both continuing lack of understanding of the core issues on her part as well as a bit of a dichotomy.
Construction and closures Roads Toll roads: interchange Loop 1604 Terri Hall US 281
by Brian
Comments Off on Terri’s at it again (part 2 of 2)
Terri’s at it again (part 2 of 2)
In yesterday’s post, I took aim at the alleged “egregious fiscal malfeasance” that local toll-opponent Terri Hall accused ARMA of with regards to their plans for a US 281/Loop 1604 interchange. Today, I’ll take her to task on her claims of “unequal application of the law” with regards to the environmental studies required for the interchange versus those for 281 north of 1604.
TxDOT’s $1 billion accounting gaffe explained
During last night’s Texas Republican primary debate, Debra Medina and Kay Bailey Hutchison both mentioned TxDOT’s 2008 accounting error, with both saying that TxDOT lost $1 billion. Sadly, these are people who are running for governor and even they just can’t get basic facts right. Now I realize that for folks running for office and/or wanting to besmirch TxDOT, saying they lost $1 billion is a great talking point. But the anticlimactic fact is this: no money was ever lost.
Construction and closures Roads: I-10 Prop 12 funds public meeting stimulus funds Texas Department of Transportation widening
by Brian
Comments Off on TxDOT previews planned I-10 improvements
TxDOT previews planned I-10 improvements
I-10 inbound at UTSA Blvd.
Sorry for the lack of posts lately. With my website update and the holidays and the ensuing aftermath, I’ve been a wee bit busy, not to mention just spending time with my adorable 16-month-old! But I’m ready to dive back in, so here goes…
I just got home from TxDOT’s public hearing on their long-planned improvements to I-10 West. As I mentioned earlier this week, my recollection was that the proposed changes would include adding an extra freeway lane in each direction and removing the existing outbound DeZavala exit. That indeed still forms the core of the improvements package, but there were a few other goodies.
Construction and closures Roads: I-10 Loop 1604 public meeting US 281
by Brian
2 comments
Two big San Antonio transpo meetings next week
Two agencies– TxDOT and ARMA– will be conducting public meetings next week for two separate projects.
First up is ARMA with a public meeting to discuss the US 281/Loop 1604 interchange project, scheduled to break ground later this year. It is being funded primarily by federal stimulus money and will build the first four elevated ramps connecting 281 south of 1604 to both directions on 1604. The meeting is Monday, January 11, at Parkhills Baptist Church, 17747 San Pedro. Doors open at 5:30pm for an open house. The formal presentation begins at 7:00pm with public comments thereafter. I’m going to try and have a web page on the interchange project done this weekend.
Two days later, TxDOT will hold a public hearing on proposed improvements to I-10 West from Ramsgate to Loop 1604. These plans have been on the back burner for serveral years as no funding has been available. The planned improvements include adding an extra mainlane in each direction and major revisions of the ramps in that area. As those of you who pass through there know, the ramp configuration outbound between Huebner and De Zavala is particularly problematic. The last renderings I saw removed the existing ramp for De Zavala and instead re-purposed the Woodstone exit ramp as the De Zavala exit. That one small change alone, assuming it’s still in the works, will be a big improvement. The hearing will take place on January 13th at the Clark High School cafeteria, 5150 De Zavala Rd. The open house begins at 6:30pm with the actual presentation and public hearing starting at 7:00pm.
New TexasHighwayMan.com online!
Happy New Year everyone!
Since Thanksgiving, I’ve been working almost daily on the big upgrade to my website, and I’m happy to announce that it’s done and now online!
Where’s the Loop 1604 Christmas tree?
Sorry for the lack of posts lately. Been busy working on my big website update as well as the usual holiday tasks.
Speaking of the holidays, for the past few years, somebody has always decorated one of the trees in the median between the Loop 1604 mainlanes and frontage roads around Christmastime, usually in the vicinity of Blanco, Huebner, or Bitters. This year, I haven’t spotted one. Has anyone seen it? If not, I wonder what happened to the person who used to do it.
Laws and policies Roads Toll roads: CDAs MPO superstreet Tommy Adkisson US 281
by Brian
2 comments
MPO approves long-range plan; Tommy starts to get it
As reported here last week, the San Antonio-Bexar County Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) policy board was scheduled to vote on the “Mobility 2035” long-range regional plan yesterday. Toll opponents were angry because the plan included numerous projects in three corridors (I-35 North, Loop 1604, and I-10 West) pigeon-holed as toll-concession projects, also known as Comprehensive Development Agreement (CDA) projects. As I explained previously, because current projections show little to no gas-tax funds being available during the time span of the plan, those projects had to have creative funding “placeholders” assigned to them in order to continue planning work on them, those placeholders being CDAs.