TxDOT, transportation leaders unveil $800 million highway funding plan

TxDOT logoThe Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) on Wednesday joined the Alamo Regional Mobility Authority, VIA Metropolitan Transit, city of San Antonio and Bexar County leaders in unveiling a plan to allocate more than $800 million for San Antonio highways.

The funds will be used to expand Interstate 10, U.S. Highway 281 and Loop 1604 in San Antonio. The projects will add tolled and non-tolled lanes as well as connectors and will improve existing lanes.

During the announcement, the agencies and transportation leaders noted that San Antonio drivers was more than 40 million hours each year sitting in traffic on some roadways.

Texas Transportation Commission Chairman Ted Houghton said the new funding plan is expected to relieve congestion for San Antonio’s rapidly-expanding population.

“As the seventh largest city in the United States, San Antonio continues to grow at a pace that is expected to see its population number more than 3 million people by 2040,” Houghton said. “The collaborative infrastructure projects we’re announcing today will help relieve congestion and keep San Antonio drivers and the region’s economy moving in a way that improves business, enhances the quality of life and decreases the number of hours lost sitting in traffic.”

Specific changes included in the project are:

  • I-10 – Addition of two managed lanes in each direction north of Loop 1604 and tolled connector ramps at the interchange at Loop 1604

  • US 281 – Expansion from Loop 1604 north to Stone Oak Boulevard to a four-lane, non-tolled expressway (two main lanes in each direction with frontage roads) with two tolled managed lanes (one in each direction) and non-tolled connector ramps at the Loop 1604 interchange; and expansion from Stone Oak Boulevard to Bexar/Comal county line to a four-lane tolled expressway with frontage roads

  • Loop 1604 – Expansion to a four-lane, non-tolled expressway (two lanes each direction with frontage roads) from SH 151 to US 90

TxDOT says construction on all projects is expected to start by early 2015.