Commuting Roads Transit: HOV lanes I-10 Texas Department of Transportation US 281 widening
by Brian
Comments Off on Not gonna use the HOV lane? It still benefits you!
Not gonna use the HOV lane? It still benefits you!
TxDOT is preparing to build San Antonio’s first two high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes on I-10 West and US 281 North. Construction of both is scheduled to start this year.
One comment I frequently hear about HOV lanes is from people saying they won’t use them, so they won’t benefit from them. A corollary of that is that people who won’t use them don’t think their tax money should be spent on them. As is often the case, both of these viewpoints fail to see the bigger picture.
Construction and closures Roads: construction DeZavala Road I-10 widening
by Brian
Comments Off on What’s going on at I-10 and DeZavala?
What’s going on at I-10 and DeZavala?
If you’ve traversed I-10 at DeZavala recently, you may have noticed that the center divider is being removed. Many folks have noticed and I’ve gotten the question more than once asking why. A few have even asserted that they’re ripping out brand new barrier that was just re-built recently.
First off, the barrier that’s being removed is not new. Yes, there have been several sections of barrier that were re-built in that same project area recently, but all of that was south of the Fredericksburg/Woodstone area. You can tell the new barrier because it’s still the raw, dark gray color. The old barrier is tan, and that’s what’s being removed at DeZavala.
Now to answer the “why”. I-10 is being widened in that area, and consequently the DeZavala overpass needs to be widened to carry those additional lanes. But it turns-out that the overpass also needs to raised a few feet in the process. This means that they’ll have to tear-down the old overpass. In order to do that, traffic will need to be shifted from one side of the overpass to the other while half of the bridge is demolished and re-built. Therefore, the divider is being removed to allow for that traffic switch as well as the fact that it will need to be removed anyway since the bridge it sits on is being replaced.
Construction and closures Roads: Ballenger I-10 Texas Department of Transportation Wurzbach Parkway
by Brian
2 comments
Ballenger projects starting back up
After the bankruptcy of Ballenger Construction late last year, several TxDOT and COSA projects were lain dormant. The good news is that their bonding company is nearing the end of the process to hire new contractors to get those projects finished. Work should be starting next month again on the I-10 project (Ramsgate to Loop 1604) and the “bookends” of the Wurzbach Parkway project. I’m not as familiar with the COSA projects, but I hear the Hunt Lane project should also have a new contractor by this time next month.
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.