BEXAR COUNTY, Texas – The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) has begun construction on a two-phase, multi-year project to expand U.S. Highway 90 in west Bexar County.
The near-$500 million project will widen the four-lane divided highway to a six-lane expressway, with additional frontage road work, according to a TxDOT news release.
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“The US 90 Expansion is more than a construction project—it’s an investment in San Antonio’s future,” said TxDOT San Antonio District Engineer Charles Benavidez, P.E. “By enhancing safety and cutting commute times, we’re creating a safer and more connected transportation network that will improve quality of life for generations to come.“
TxDOT says the project is expected to address existing and future congestion on the highway, which the agency expects to double in drivers by 2045.
Commute times could reach 70 minutes if no improvements are made, according to the release. The expansion is estimated to reduce those commute times by “as much as 90%.”
Two-phase project, years of construction expected
TxDOT will work on the project in two phases. Phase 1, from Interstate 410 to Loop 1604, will cover approximately 3.3 miles and cost $146 million.
Improvements under phase 1 will include:
- Reconstructing and widening Highway 90 from two to three 12-foot-wide main lanes from Loop 410 to Loop 1604.
- Construct a two-lane flyover ramp connecting westbound Highway 90 to northbound Loop 1604.
- Constructing a roundabout at Ray Ellison Boulevard to aid traffic flow.
- Building auxiliary lanes in unspecified locations along the frontage roads to optimize traffic near key intersections.
Construction on phase 1 has already begun. It is expected to be completed by 2030, TxDOT said.
Meanwhile, phase 2 will cover Loop 1604 to State Highway 211; however, the necessary $339 million project is only partially funded, TxDOT said. It will cover 4.3 miles.
Phase 2 improvements will include:
- Reconstructing and widening Highway 90 from two to three 12-foot-wide main lanes from Loop 1604 to SH 211.
- Adding two to three continuous frontage road lanes in each direction.
- Adding auxiliary lanes in some unspecified locations.
- Adding a westbound-to-eastbound turnaround at the Highway 90 and SH 211 intersection
- Adding eastbound-to-westbound turnaround bridges along Highway 90 at Loop 1604 and Montgomery Road.
- Constructing additional improvements at the Highway 90 and Loop 1604 interchange.
This phase is expected to begin construction in 2027 and reach completion by 2031, according to TxDOT. It is not immediately clear from the agency how much funding is still needed.
In September, TxDOT opened a westbound-to-eastbound turnaround bridge at SH 211.
Auxiliary lanes between Loop 1604 and Montgomery Road are under construction and expected to be completed by mid-2026.
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