Funding for Highway 281 "Superstreet" Design Made Available

The San Antonio-Bexar County Metropolital Planning Organization (MPO) also approved additional Funds for expansion of the Jones-Maltsberger/281 crossing

After weeks of meeting with residents along the Highway 281 corridor about a proposed "Super Street" design north of Loop 1604 I am excited to announce that a partnership has emerged to complete the project. In addition to securing funds from the $22 million in locally controlled stimulus money, VIA and City Council District 9 will be contributing to the project, which will be overseen by the Alamo Regional Mobility Authority (RMA). The RMA will be responsible for any overruns on the project, which is expected to cost $7.8 - 8.1 million.

This is an exciting day for residents on the northside, and anyone who drives the 281 corridor. We have been presenting this plan to residents for months and the reaction has been almost unanimous: Do it and do it now!

This project will provide much needed relief while we await a more permanent solution to the traffic on 281. It is estimated that construction of the "Super Street" will take about nine months, following a design phase, which is expected to be completed within the next three to four months.

Residents could be traveling on the completed "Super Street" as early as this time next year.

I believe that Pape-Dawson Engineers deserve to be lauded for their time and the expenses they incurred in planning and presenting the project. Gilmer Gaston with Pape-Dawson joined me for many community meetings and presented the plan independently to several groups, including residents of unincorporated Bexar County areas.


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The project to expand Jones-Maltsberger and 281 at the railroad crossing was approved for an additional $500k from the MPO. Delays in the years-old project have caused cost overruns. The additional money we approved will help us keep our target date of completion at March of 2010.

This expansion includes additional capacity on both the east and west bound lanes across the railroad tracks.

The much needed, new turn lane from Jones-Maltsberger to north bound 281 will help ease the building congestion from west bound traffic at the Quarry. Expanding the crossing from two lanes to four will also provide much needed relief for traffic traveling east on Jones-Maltsberger towards the Quarry.

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For more information on the Super Street design for 281, copy and paste the following URL into your web browser:  http://www.ci.sat.tx.us/council/d9/pdf/Superstreet Presentation.pdf

To see a list of all the projects planned in District 9, copy and paste the following URL into your web browser:  http://www.ci.sat.tx.us/council/d9/pdf/Ongoing Projects.pdf

 

Councilman Louis E Rowe

Council District 9