Bexar County accepts $2.175 million Burke donation to fund IH‑37/Southeast Military interchange; court approves agreements with TxDOT

Bexar County Commissioners on April 28 accepted a $2,175,000 donation from the Burke family to help pay for a TxDOT interchange improvement at I‑37 and Southeast Military Drive and approved the related legal steps needed to transfer the money to TxDOT.

Rob Killen, an attorney representing the Burke family, told the court the donation is intended to fund a ramp project TxDOT has long planned at that congested interchange. “This donation today will help alleviate some traffic congestion at that Military and I‑37 interchange,” Killen said, and he thanked county public‑works staff and TxDOT district engineer Charles Benavides for their work on the agreement.

County staff described three separate actions in open court: approval of an indemnity agreement between Bexar County and Indian Homes, Ltd., approval of Amendment No. 1 to terminate the advance funding agreement executed between TxDOT and Bexar County on Nov. 13, 2015, and approval of a voluntary local government contributions advance funding agreement for $2,175,000 between Bexar County and the Texas Department of Transportation. Commissioner Calvert moved the actions and the court adopted all three motions by voice vote.

Judge Sakai thanked the Burke family and asked the court to recognize the donors’ contribution. County officials said the agreements update the 2015 arrangement to reflect changes in project parties and to allow the donation to be advanced to TxDOT for construction. The court did not set a project timeline in public comment; TxDOT will control construction scheduling under the advance funding agreement.

Next steps: staff will file executed agreements for the record and proceed with the funding transfer under the terms the court approved.