SAN ANTONIO – Traffic woes are expected to improve in the future for people who live and drive through Northwest Military Highway in Shavano Park.
At a public hearing Wednesday night, TxDOT officials revealed details of a $6.5 million project proposal that would help ease congestion along a 2.5 mile stretch of the highway between Loop 1604 and Huebner Road.
The plan includes adding a continuous center turn lane, bike lanes and a sidewalk for pedestrians.
The increase in traffic is among some of the concerns, said TxDOT spokeswoman Laura Lopez.
"We got a lot of needs everywhere. This is an area that is definitely congested. There have been crashes in the area over the years," she said.
A TxDOT study showed there were nearly 100 accidents so far this year on the stretch of NW Military Highway.
Shavano Park City Manager Bill Hill said the plan is getting a lot of general support from the community because of the traffic concerns.
"If you want to do a left hand turn going north or south, you basically have to sit in traffic on the left lane waiting for a gap, and that causes a lot of accidents. A lot of people get rear ended," he said.
Hill said the plans have been in the works for about two years.
Another public hearing is expected to be held in the spring or summer of 2019.
Construction should take from 18 to 24 months to complete and likely beginning in 2021.