San Antonio TAC approves realignment of Major Thoroughfare Plan link near Union Pacific, requires more public outreach

The Planning Commission Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) on Nov. 5 voted to realign a Major Thoroughfare Plan segment east of Loop 1604 to run along the north side of the Union Pacific railroad corridor rather than through Union Pacific property, and added a requirement that city staff continue outreach to adjacent property owners before the item moves to Planning Commission and City Council for public hearings.

Isaac Levy, senior transportation planner for the City of San Antonio, told the committee the amendment request was submitted by Union Pacific Railroad and represented by Pape Dawson Engineers; the proposal would shift the plan link between Loop 1604 and Old Pearsall Road to follow Nelson Road’s right-of-way. "This alignment was the one deemed most possible," Levy said, summarizing staff reviews and noting that multiple technical agencies, including TxDOT and Bexar County, participated in the review. He said Planning staff had scheduled a Planning Commission hearing on Nov. 19 and a City Council public hearing on Nov. 18.

Shauna (Shawna) Weaver, an engineer with Pape Dawson Engineers representing Union Pacific, outlined why the current paper alignment is problematic for the railroad and for development. Weaver emphasized three key design constraints: engineers do not design new arterials inside the 100-year floodplain; they avoid at-grade rail crossings for new arterials; and current standards would require roughly an 86-foot right-of-way for a four-lane arterial with a multiuse path. "More than 50% of that alignment is currently within the 100-year floodplain," Weaver said, describing extensive drainage, quarrying and steep topography that complicate construction and would likely necessitate significant bridges, drainage easements and rail-spur work.

At the public-comment period, Allen Janiga, an adjacent property owner, urged the committee not to adopt the recommended realignment. "This plan essentially destroys the east–west transition transportation that this part of the plan was put in place for," Janiga said, arguing that moving the link north would require extensive elevated roadway and drainage work and would disrupt existing local access.

Committee members questioned staff and the applicant about specific technical studies, funding responsibility and public notice. Kat Hernandez, director of the city’s transportation department, said the department would generally prefer to select a viable alignment rather than remove the thoroughfare from the Major Thoroughfare Plan, noting that a marked alignment provides more certainty to property owners during redevelopment. Weaver and staff said additional flood and spur-impact studies remain to be completed and that construction funding would depend on whether regional or developer-driven projects justify the expense.

A motion to approve the realignment as noticed, with an added stipulation that Transportation staff continue to engage property owners and distribute exhibits and materials, was moved, seconded and carried by roll call. The recorded vote showed a majority in favor and two recorded votes against. The committee’s approval sends the amendment forward to the Planning Commission and then to City Council for formal public hearings; staff told the committee those hearings are scheduled for Nov. 19 and Nov. 18, respectively.