The project, the second segment of the overall U.S. 281 expansion effort, will add four new lanes (two northbound and two southbound) as well as two High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lanes – one in each direction – between just north of Stone Oak Parkway and Borgfeld Drive on the Comal County line. In all, this stretch of U.S. 281 will grow from four to 10 lanes.
“It’s great to be back in my hometown of San Antonio today to break ground on Phase II of the U.S. 281 project,” said J. Bruce Bugg, Jr., Chairman of TxDOT’s Transportation Commission. “Reducing congestion is an ambitious task, but we’re committed to follow Gov. Abbott’s direction and work with our state and local leaders to make a difference for our drivers.”
The new project will incorporate a new median separating the new northbound and southbound mainlanes along a nearly 4-mile stretch of U.S. 281. Auxiliary/transition lanes and new frontage roads – with two lanes each – will also be added.
“We’re grateful to Chairman Bugg and the rest of the TxDOT team for the excellent progress on this key highway construction project,” said Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff. “All of us who drive this corridor know all too well how badly this expansion is needed and how much we welcome it. It’s crucial to provide our fast-growing region a top-notch highway system and our friends at TxDOT are making it happen.”
The Phase II project is funded by TxDOT. The contractor is Zachry Construction Corporation. The project is expected to be completed by 2022, weather permitting.
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Phase I of the U.S. 281 Expansion Project started construction in July 2017 and is expected to be completed in late 2020, roughly a year ahead of schedule. That segment, which stretches from Loop 1604 to just north of Stone Oak Parkway, doubles the existing 6-lane configuration (three mainlanes in each direction) to a total of 12 lanes, including one HOV lane and three frontage road lanes in each direction.
The expansion work is deemed critical due to the tremendous need stemming from our area’s tremendous population growth. The Phase I segment currently represents the most congested stretch of highway in the San Antonio Region and 15th most congested in Texas. The project is part of “Texas Clear Lanes,” an effort dedicating additional funding to support the state’s main metro areas, including San Antonio – currently the country’s fastest-growing major city.
For more information, contact Hernan.Rozemberg@txdot.gov or (210) 615-5932.
