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TxDOT details $14.8 million SH‑16 widening: bridge raised 11 feet, traffic switch planned
Summary
TxDOT engineers outlined the SH‑16 widening from Robindale East Road to Old San Antonio West, saying the $14.8 million contract adds lanes, sidewalks and a raised bridge built to a 100‑year standard; a traffic switch to the new bridge is planned 'this Friday.'
TxDOT engineers told the City of Bandera council that construction to expand SH‑16 from Robindale East Road to Old San Antonio West will widen the two‑lane road to four lanes with a center turn lane, add sidewalks and modify intersections to improve safety. The project, awarded at $14,800,000 to Texas Sterling Construction, began Oct. 20, 2023, and is expected to finish in summer 2025.
The highway presentation focused on safety and corridor capacity. The presenter said the plans call for intersection improvements, continuous left‑turn lanes, smaller concrete medians to permit turning movements and drainage improvements. ‘‘The contract amount for that was awarded at $14,800,000,’’ the TxDOT presenter said. He also described a hydraulic study that required raising the new bridge by about 11 feet to meet a 100‑year storm design.
Council members and residents pressed staff about speed limits and how long lower limits would remain. TxDOT staff replied that speed limits are set after a final traffic study — commonly using the 85th‑percentile methodology — and that any formal change would require a traffic‑section review after the roadway reaches its final configuration. Residents expressed concern about safety near the high school, businesses and senior housing; TxDOT said it will coordinate with the city on enforcement and follow‑up studies.
Contractors will build the project in halves. Staff said traffic would be switched to the new bridge this week so crews can work on the other half; the presenter said the actual switch should take only minutes and that the city’s public information officer will provide advance notice. For the first block of Main Street and an adjacent intersection, TxDOT said it remains in the schematic phase and that a 30% concept submittal is expected early next year, at which point the agency will present options and coordinate funding with the city.
The project’s planned improvements — additional lanes, a raised bridge, sidewalks and intersection reconfigurations — are aimed at reducing crashes and improving traffic flow. TxDOT staff said they will continue outreach through the city’s PIO and provide contact information for residents with questions.
