San Antonio – Commuters on their way into San Antonio from the North and Northwest Sides are looking at what will hopefully be quicker commutes next week as expansion projects on two main arteries make progress.
New main lanes over Evans Road on US-281 will be opened up over the weekend, allowing drivers in both directions to skip over another traffic light. The intersection underneath the main lanes should open in another week or two as well.
On I-10, the roughly 5.9 mile expansion project will open the eastbound lanes into San Antonio to four main lanes, including the region’s first High Occupancy Vehicle (H.O.V.) lane, between Ralph Fair Road and La Cantera Parkway sometime next week. The westbound lanes along the same stretch are expected to open in another four to six weeks.
Meanwhile, the public comment period closes at 11:59 p.m., Friday for a 23-mile project to expand the main lanes along Loop 1604 between SH-16 and I-35.
Texas Department of Transportation spokeswoman Jennifer Serold said projects like those three are about both reducing the existing congestion and preparing for the additional traffic that the expected influx of new residents will bring over the next two decades.
“We also want to reduce congestion, reduce the time you’re waiting in traffic, and then also improve safety. So the better our roads are, the safer your commute will be,” Serold said.
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