Boerne approves mobility plan amid potential threat of economic gridlock

Historic growth is driving Boerne to try and get ahead of mobility challenges before it’s too late.

Welcome to Boerne sign on water tower. (City of Boerne)

BOERNE, San Antonio – Boerne’s City Council has unanimously approved a new mobility master plan that backers hope will help the historic town better prepare for the unprecedented growth already headed its way.

The long-range plan provides the framework for municipal leaders to develop a more accessible and efficient transportation network and also allows some flexibility to plan for and implement key capital projects over the next 10 to 15 years.

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A guidepost of sorts, the new master plan, the first of its kind for Boerne, will also help municipal leaders and other stakeholders better prepare for future development.

“We are faced with a growth issue,” Boerne City Councilman Joseph Macaluso said. “The growth coming to this community, this area, is staggering.”

Boerne’s population grew by more than 70% from 2010 to 2020. The influx of people and vehicles has continued over the last two years.

Boerne Mayor Tim Handren has warned that there is no slowdown in sight.

“We can’t just live with the congestion and do nothing about it,” he said. “That’s been done far too long.”

Left unaddressed, the growth could stall Boerne’s economic ascent. While the MMP particularly focuses on Boerne and its infrastructure, it also addresses the need to enhance city’s connectivity to key destinations in the region.

There has been some confusion about the MMP as Boerne is also engaged in ongoing discussions about a separate thoroughfare plan. Adding to the potential confusion was a Gateway Study involving Kendall County and the Texas Department of Transportation that included a proposed loop around Boerne and was shot down prior to the pandemic.

Boerne City Councilman Ty Wolosin made clear that the MMP is not tied to the Gateway Study.

“Any notation of that by other people out there would be incorrect,” he said. “This is also not about identifying personal property for the city to condemn. No one here wants to do that either.”

Read the full story on the San Antonio Business Journal.

Editor’s note: This story was published through a partnership between KSAT and the San Antonio Business Journal.

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