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City begins update to thoroughfare plan, coordinates regionally and prioritizes FM 1101 expansion study
Summary
Council received an update on work to revise the city’s thoroughfare plan — last adopted in 2012 — including regional coordination with Comal County, a public outreach process and prioritization of FM 1101 and a proposed north-south connector for later study.
City staff briefed the council April 14 on an extensive update to the New Braunfels thoroughfare plan, which the presenter said was last adopted in 2012 and has been amended several times since.
Scope and purpose: Staff described the thoroughfare plan as the city’s legal tool to preserve future right-of-way for corridors and to classify roads (collector, arterial) so routes become eligible for federal funding. The update includes cleaning up classifications in established areas and revising alignments that have been difficult for staff and developers to implement.
Regional coordination and priorities: A large portion of the work involves coordination with Comal County and neighboring jurisdictions to ensure planned corridors align across boundaries. Staff said FM 1101 expansion from Creekside Crossing/Barbarossa up to Kollenberg Road has been identified as a priority and raised the prospect of a planning and environmental linkage (PEL) study through the MPO to evaluate alignments and feasibility. The presenter said that MPO planning funding is being sought and that the study, if advanced, could position the project for future funding and design work.
Design flexibility and public engagement: Staff noted the update will offer more flexibility for developers and for context-sensitive roadway designs (for example, on-street parking in urban contexts). A public engagement program including online outreach, public meetings, Planning Commission presentations and a city council public hearing was described as part of the schedule.
Why it matters: Updating the thoroughfare plan preserves right-of-way during the development process, clarifies project eligibility for federal funds and supports multimodal design across suburban and urban contexts.
Ending: Staff said they expect a public process and subsequent hearings before a formal council resolution to adopt the updated plan.
