TxDOT outlines Bandera Road corridor plan, says environmental clearance expected this spring
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Summary
TxDOT told Leon Valley residents that the Bandera Road (Loop 410–1604) corridor project would add lanes and operational improvements, reduce earlier right‑of‑way impacts, and aims for environmental clearance this spring, but construction timing remains uncertain and depends on funding.
TxDOT officials on Saturday updated Leon Valley residents on the SA‑16 Bandera Road project, describing an effort to reduce congestion and improve safety along the corridor between Loop 410 and 1604.
Scott Nelson, advanced planning director for the Texas Department of Transportation’s San Antonio district and the project manager for SA‑16, said the corridor is roughly 6.5 miles, with about half lying in Leon Valley. “We are adding additional lanes as well as operational improvements in the corridor,” Nelson said, and added that the design has been refined to reduce property impacts.
Nelson told attendees the project’s initial schematic once showed about 19 acres of proposed right‑of‑way and roughly nine potential business displacements. After revisions following public feedback, TxDOT reduced the estimated right‑of‑way need to a little under 8 acres and cut potential displacements to approximately three, with parcels to be acquired dropping from roughly 246 to 123. Nelson said the design changes focused on minimizing impacts while meeting mobility goals.
In addition to new lanes, TxDOT plans operational changes including conversion of many signals to a restricted‑crossing U‑turn (RCUT) configuration — described at the meeting as signalized right turns from side streets followed by downstream U‑turns — to increase green time on the mainline. Nelson said the corridor carries very high volumes in places, “upwards of 80,000 vehicles a day,” and that the combination of added capacity plus operational improvements is intended to address that demand.
Nelson said TxDOT is on the verge of completing environmental studies and is targeting environmental clearance “probably sometime this spring.” Environmental clearance would allow the agency to begin right‑of‑way acquisition and more detailed design work; Nelson cautioned that the date the project reaches construction will depend on when funding is available. He described the project as a regional priority but said it has been listed among unfunded regional projects in recent planning cycles.
Residents asked technical questions at the town hall about RCUT operations and construction impacts. One attendee said similar intersections felt confusing in other parts of the region; Nelson cited available public‑meeting materials and an online video demonstrating how the configuration operates and said TxDOT would coordinate signage and outreach. He also described the typical communication channels during construction, including social media, public information officers, and direct contact with affected property owners and businesses.
TxDOT provided contact information for further questions and said it would confirm specific right‑of‑way displacements for Leon Valley after the meeting.
The project team present at the meeting included Scott Nelson (advanced planning director and project manager) and Richard Dela Cruz (district director of transportation planning and development).
