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GOOD MORNING, EVERYBODY, LOOKS LIKE WE HAVE A MAJORITY NOW, WE ARE GOING TO BEGIN OUR MEETING OF JANUARY 26, TRANSPORTATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE COMMITTEE. THIS IS THE FIRST MEETING SINCE THERE'S BEEN SOME RESTRUCTURE ON THE COMMITTEE, SO WE HAVE A COUPLE OF THE MEMBERS WHO AREN'T HERE YET, HOPEFULLY THEY WILL BE ABLE TO MAKE IT, IF NOT AT THIS MEETING, TODAY WE HAVE THREE BRIEFINGS THAT WE ARE GOING TO BE GETTING, THERE'S NO ACTION THAT WE WILL BE TAKING ON THESE BRIEFINGS. SO LET'S GO AHEAD AND START OFF WITH ROLL CALL.
[Approval of Minutes ]
>> WE HAVE A QUORUM. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.
THE FIRST ITEM OF BUSINESS WE HAVE IS APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES FROM JUNE 20TH, TRANSPORTATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE COMMITTEE MEETING.
I WOULD ENTERTAIN A MOTION FOR THE APPROVAL OF THOSE
MINUTES. >> OKAY, IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED, ANYBODY HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS ABOUT THE MINUTES? IF NOT, THEN ALL IN FAVOR OF APPROVING THE MINUTES FROM JUNE 20TH SAY AYE, AYE,
[Public Comment ]
ANY OPPOSED? HEARING NONE, THOSE MINUTES ARE APPROVED. WE DO HAVE ONE INDIVIDUAL WHO ASKED TO SPEAK ON ITEM NO. 4, WHICH IS A BRIEFING ON THE BIKE NETWORK PLAN. JOEY POLLACK.IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO COME FORWARD, YOU WILL HAVE THREE MINUTES TO SPEAK ABOUT IT. JOEY IS WITH ACTIVATE SA.
>> GOOD MORNING, EVERYBODY, MY NAME IS JOEY POLLACK, NATIVE SAN ANTONIO, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF ACT USA, ADVOCACY NON-PROFIT TO ACTIVATE A CONNECTIVE, RESILIENT AND SAFE COMMUNITY THROUGH EDUCATION.
THE BIKE MASTER PLAN PROVIDES GREAT EXAMPLES OF CYCLING IN OUR COMMUNITY AND MOTIVATION TO IMPLEMENT A BETTER BIKE NETWORK DUE TO THE MANY BENEFITS OF BICYCLING, YET IT LACKED CLEAR FOCUS ON TRULY ENCOURAGE THE MORE HESITANT RIDERS TO GIVE BICYCLING A KLAN. IT WAS COMMON FOR COMMUNITIES TO ADOPT THE IDEA OF UNPROTECTED SINGLE LANE STRIPED BIKE LANES AS AN ACCEPTABLE SOLUTION FOR BICYCLISTS ON OUR ROADWAYS. SAN ANTONIO'S ABILITY TO DEMONSTRATE THE COSTS AND PRIORITIES [INDISCERNIBLE] HELP CITIZENS AND POLITICIANS BETTER ADVOCATE FOR IMPROVEMENTS IN OUR COMMUNITY.
HOWEVER, SAN ANTONIO LACKED SUBSTANCE SUGGESTING BETTER OR PROTECTED BICYCLE INFRASTRUCTURE SUCH AS PROTECTED BIKE LANES. WITH THAT BEING SAID, FOR OUR NEXT BIKE NETWORK PLAN WE NEED TO MAKE SURE IT'S SAFE, EQUITABLE, ACCESSIBLE FOR ALL USERS AND WE NEED TO HAVE A STRONG NORTH STAR FOR THIS PLAN.
WILL WE FEEL SAFE AND COMFORTABLE USING A BIKE, SAFE AND COMFORTABLE ENOUGH SENDING OUR KIDS TO THE SCHOOL ON THIS BIKE NETWORK, COMFORTABLE ENOUGH KNOWING THAT OUR GRANDPARENTS ARE USING THIS BIKE NETWORK TO GET TO THEIR SOCIAL HOUR OR TO THE GROCERY STORE? WHEN I COMPLETED GRADUATE STUDENT RESEARCH ON ETSA ON THE BICYCLING IN COMMUNITIES, THE CITY SIGNALED THE MOST IMPORTANT ELEMENTS AND THE HIGHEST PRIORITY RECOMMENDATION OF THEIR PLAN WAS TO FUND AND IMPLEMENT ALL AGES AND ABILITIES BICYCLE NETWORK.
NOT ONLY WAS THIS A SIGNIFICANT PART OF THEIR 2014 PLAN, I FOUND IT HIGHLY SIGNIFICANT THAT THE CITY OF AUSTIN REFERENCED TO THE ALL AGES AND ABILITIES FOCUS, 246 TIMES WITHIN THEIR PLAN. WHILE THEIR ENTIRE BIKE NETWORK DOES NOT YET CREATE THE MOST HOLISTIC COMMUNITY, THEY ARE ON A SOLID TRACK TO GET THEIR SOONER RATHER THAN LATER. I THINK SAN ANTONIO DESERVES A BIKE NETWORK THAT NOT ONLY SERVES THE MOST ABLE BODIED PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY, BUT TRULY ENCOURAGES PEOPLE OF ALL AGES AND ABILITIES TO BIKE TO WHEREVER THEY NEED TO GO, NO MATTER THEIR ZIP CODE, NO MATTER THEIR AGE, NO MATTER THEIR ABILITY. OUR NEXT BIKE NETWORK PLAN SHOULD BE FAR MORE RESPONSIVE TO COMMUNITY NEEDS AND BETTER SERVING TO OUR NEIGHBORS WITH BETTER MORE ROBUST COMMUNITY PROCESS.
THIS NEW PLAN IS NOT NECESSARY BECAUSE WE NEED TO BE CONSTANTLY PLANNING, BUT WE NEED A PLAN THAT IS TRULY IMPLEMENTABLE. LET'S DESIGN AND BUILD A BIKE NETWORK FOR SAN ANTONIO WITH THE HIGHEST PRIORITY OF IT BEING CREATED FOR PEOPLE OF ALL AGES AND ABILITIES,
THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU, MR. POLLACK, SINCE YOU HAD REMARKS MAYBE YOU CAN DISTRIBUTE THOSE TO OUR CLERK SO SHE CAN MAKE SURE ALL OF THE COMMITTEE
[Briefing and Possible Action on ]
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MEMBERS GOT A COPY OF THAT, THANK YOU VERY MUCH.OKAY. NOW, WE WILL PROCEED WITH THE BRIEFINGS, THE FIRST ONE IS A BRIEFING FROM TXDOT ON REGIONAL PROJECTS THAT -- PLANNED UNDER CONSTRUCTION.
JUST WANTED TO SAY THANK YOU FOR THE INVITATION TO COME SPEAK TODAY. I THINK IT'S GOOD TO KIND OF WALK THROUGH SOME OF THE PROJECTS THAT WE HAVE UNDER CONSTRUCTION. I WILL TOUCH ON THE PROJECTS THAT WE HAVE THAT ARE FUNDED, PARTIALLY FUNDED, UNDER DESIGN AND SOME WE HAVE IN THE PLANNING STAGES.
TRYING TO LIST BACK, THERE'S STILL QUITE A FEW, BUT TRIMMED BACK SPECIFICALLY TO WHAT I HAVE FELT KIND OF IMPACTED OR WOULD BE MORE RELEVANT TO ACTUALLY THE
CITY OF SAN ANTONIO PROPER. >> [INDISCERNIBLE]
>> CLAYTON [INDISCERNIBLE] DIRECTOR OF TRANSPORTATION, PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT, LONG TITLE TO BASICALLY SAY I SEE A PROJECT FROM AN IDEA, YOU KNOW, ON A NAPKIN, GETTING IT FUNDED, THROUGH THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROCESS, GETTING IT DESIGNED AND LETTING IT OUT FOR CONSTRUCTION. I SEE IT FROM AN IDEA TO GET IT OUT TO CONSTRUCTION BASICALLY THE PURVIEW THAT I OVERSEE. FIRST THING IN THE STREET, THIS IS -- THIS IS ONE OF THE BIGGEST PRIORITIES IN THE STATE OF TEXAS WE HAVE RIGHT NOW IS TO END DEATHS ON TEXAS HIGHWAYS. ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE CAN CONTROL AND DO IMPLEMENT ON EVERY SINGLE, EVEN IF IT'S JUST AN OVERLAY, UPGRADING ALL OF THE SAFETY ELEMENTS. WE ARE INCORPORATING SAFETY DESIGN IN EVERY SINGLE PROJECT THAT WE DO.
GO BACK FOUR OR FIVE YEARS AGO, WE WERE NOT DOING THAT, STRICTLY PUTTING THE MONEY, FIXING THE PAVEMENT, GETTING OUT. NOW IT'S INCORPORATING THE THINGS THAT WOULD HELP PROVIDE A SAFER DIVING ENVIRONMENT FOR THE FOLKS, THAT IS WHY THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT FOR US, SOMETHING WE CONTINUE TO IMPLEMENT EVEN ON OUR PROJECTS, JUST KNOW THAT EVERY PROJECT IS A SAFETY PROJECT AS WE ARE KIND OF MOVING FORWARD.
FOR THOSE NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE SAN ANTONIO DISTRICT, WE ENCOMPASS BASICALLY BEXAR COUNTY AND THE SURROUNDING 11 COUNTIES. SO OUR AREA DOES HAVE A VERY DIVERSE AND INTERESTING DYNAMIC THAT WE COVER AS WE GO AS FAR WEST AS UVALDE, TO TILL DON, KERRVILLE, TO THE EAST ON THE OTHER SIDE OF SEGUIN.
THAT'S KIND OF GIVING YOU AN IDEA OF WHAT WE DO, THE AREA THAT WE COVER IN THE SAN ANTONIO DISTRICT FOR TXDOT PROPER. 600 EMPLOYEES.
WE ENCOMPASS 2.6 MILLION PEOPLE IN THIS AREA.
ONE -- I WANTED TO KIND OF HIGHLIGHT OUR RIDING VOLUMES. TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA, IN THE TOP TABLE IS FISCAL YEAR IS HOW WE KIND OF OPERATE FROM SEPTEMBER THROUGH AUGUST OF EVERY YEAR IS OUR FISCAL YEAR. IF YOU LOOK AT FISCAL YEAR '22, '23, '24, THE FIRST COLUMN THAT I SHOW ARE ORIGINAL LETTING VOLUMES. THE AMOUNT OF MONEY AND PROJECTS THAT WE ARE PUTTING OUT.
SO YOU CAN KIND OF SEE 668 MILLION.
EVERYTHING IS IN MILLIONS UP THERE AS WE KIND OF MOVE FORWARD. THE SECOND COLUMN I HIGHLIGHTED ACCELERATED PROJECTS.
THAT CORRELATES TO THE BAR CHART.
EVERYTHING IN BLUE WAS THE BASE AMOUNT OF FUNDING THAT -- THAT TXDOT AND SAN ANTONIO DISTRICT WAS ALLOTTED FOR THAT YEAR. THE ORANGE IS THE PROJECTS THAT WE WORKED IN ADVANCE TO ACCELERATE.
[INDISCERNIBLE], WE -- WE IMPLEMENTED THOSE PROJECTS.
IN FY '23, WE IMPLEMENTED ANOTHER 400 MILLION IN PROJECTS THAT WOULDN'T HAVE OTHERWISE HAD WE NOT BEEN AGGRESSIVE. 2024 WE STARTED LETTING VOLUME 214 MILLION, VERY, VERY LOW FROM WHAT WE TYPICALLY SHOULD GET. KNOWING THAT FULL -- IN ADVANCE, WE WORKED TO GET, YOU KNOW, ALMOST A BILLION DOLLARS TO WHERE IT WILL BE READY TO ACCELERATE.
WE ARE HOPING THAT 738 MILLION WILLING GET PICKED AND SELECTED TO ACCELERATE. FIRST I'LL TOUCH ON PROJECTS UNDER CONSTRUCTION. TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT VOLUME WISE, RIGHT NOW DRIVING AROUND SAN ANTONIO THERE'S $5 BILLION WORTH OF CONSTRUCTION OUT THERE IN OUR DISTRICT.
ONE OF THE PROJECTS JUST FINISHED, NOW FULLY OPENED IS US 281. TWO PHASES.
281, IF YOU DON'T KNOW THE HISTORY ON IT, WE STARTED STUDYING THIS BACK IN 1999, ENCOUNTERED A COUPLE OF LAWSUITS, WENT THROUGH THE WHOLE TOLL GAMUT, WERE ABLE TO OPEN THE LAST HOV LEAN ON THE FAR NORTH STRETCH JUST LAST MONTH. IF YOU HAVEN'T DRIVEN THROUGH THERE, IT'S FULLY OPEN ALL THE WAY TO THE COUNTY LINE, OUTSIDE OF
[00:10:01]
1604, THIS PROJECT WAS VERY TRANSFORMATIVE, HAS H.O.V. LANES ON IT.WE BUILT THE CONNECTION IN PARTNERSHIP WITH VIA TO THE PARKING GARAGE FACILITY AT STONE OAK. THIS IS ONE OF THOSE VERY INTEGRAL PROJECTS, THERE WAS A LOT OF ENGAGEMENT WITH THE CITY OF CITY OF SAN ANTONIO VIA TXDOT, BEXAR COUNTY, THE RMA TO GET THIS ONE TO WHERE IT IS AFTER 20 YEARS. THE NEXT ONE, THIS ONE I HAVE A KIND OF -- KIND OF BREAK DOWN SOME DETAILS ON A LITTLE BIT.
THIS IS OUR IH 35 NORTHEAST EXPANSION. IF YOU HERE IH 35 NEX THAT'S BASICALLY WHAT IT IS. THIS IS A 20-MILE STRETCH OF ELEVATED ROADWAYS, ELEVATED ROADWAYS, FREEWAY EXPANSION TO THE NORTHEAST SIDE OF SAN ANTONIO.
TOTAL PROJECT COST FOR THIS IS 3.4 BILLION. AND HIGHLIGHTED ON THE MAP IS KIND OF WHERE IT STARTS AND WHERE IT ENDS, STARTING JUST NORTH OF DOWNTOWN UP FROM 1103. BASICALLY, IN A LOT OF -- OF PUBLIC INTERACTION, STARTING IN 2012, 2011, WRAPPING UP IN 2013, WE WENT THROUGH A LOT OF SCENARIOS OF WHAT TO DO WITH 35. WE STARTED, STUDIED LOOKING AT TRANSIT, DIFFERENT TYPES OF RAIL OPPORTUNITIES. FULL FREEWAY EXPANSION.. BURYING 35, ELEVATING IT.
EVERYTHING LANDED ON WHAT WE ENDED UP IMPLEMENTING UNDER CONSTRUCTION WHICH IS HERE.
LEAVE EVERYTHING AT GRADE AS IT IS, BUILDING TWO ELEVATED LANES, ELEVATED STRUCTURES IN TWO DIRECTIONS, MAIN LINES AND FRONTAGE ROADS ALONG THAT STRETCH.
HERE'S A 3 D IMAGE OF WHAT IT WILL LOOK LIKE WHEN COMPLETE.
HIGHLIGHTINGTHE HOV LANES, DO YOU WANT A FREE FOR ALL, BUT WE LANDED ON THE CONSENSUS OF ALLOWING AT LEAST ONE OF THOSE TO BE AN H.O.V. LANE TO PROVIDE A THE ALTHOUGH OF FUTURE PROOF, AT LEAST -- A LOT OF FUTURE PROOF, AT LEAST ONE LANE OF WHAT THIS FACILITY WILL ENCOMPASS. KIND OF A LITTLE BIT MORE DETAILED BREAKOUT OF THE PROJECT. THOSE LITTLE YELLOW CIRCLES THAT LOOK LIKE IT HAS A LITTLE LONGHORN IN IT ARE THE LOCATIONS WHERE YOU CAN GET ON THE ELEVATED LANES. SO THESE WERE LAID OUT AND STRUCTURED FROM THE ORIGIN DESTINATION ANALYSIS DONE IN THE MID 2,000S TO PROVIDE THIS FOR PEOPLE THAT ARE GOING LONGER DISTANCE, NOT SO MUCH FOR THE LOCAL INGRESS AND EGRESS TO THE BUSINESSES ALONG 35. THAT'S KIND OF JUST AN IDEA OF HOW -- HOW THIS THING IS INTENDED TO FUNCTION. THIS IS THE FIRST COLUMN, THIS IS A MONUMENTAL DAY FOR US, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF HARD WORK, A LOT OF TIME, MONEY WENT INTO THIS, BUT THIS IS THE FIRST COLUMN THAT WAS POURED ON THE NEX PROJECT. JUST A COUPLE OF PHOTOS OF SOME OF THE BENT CAPS. IF YOU DRIVE THE CORRIDOR TODAY, YOU HAVE SEEN THIS ONGOING FOR THE PAST MONTH OR PAST YEAR. IT WILL CONTINUE ON UNTIL 2028, 2029. HERE'S KIND OF A -- FOOT ON THE LEFT IS THE, YOU CAN SEE THE CAPS THERE FROM TWO MONTHS AGO, YOU CAN SEE THE BEAMS THAT ARE NOW SET THIS PAST MONTH. YOU ARE STARTING TO SEE A LITTLE MORE PROGRESS AS THOSE ELEVATED LANES ARE GETTING BUILT. THEN KIND OF THE OVERALL PHASES OF THIS, AS I KIND OF MENTIONED, BROKEN UP INTO SEVERAL DIFFERENT PHASES.
UP IN THE BLUE WE CALL IT SOUTH PHASE 1, WHICH IS THE BLUE.
THAT JUST WAS LET TO A DESIGN BUILDER, SO YOU WILL START SEEING CONSTRUCTION IN THE SPRING, THEY ARE WORKING ON THE DESIGN RIGHT NOW. SOUTH PHASE 2, WHICH IS THERE ON 35, THAT ONE IS SCHEDULED TO LET IN 2026. WE ARE GETTING THE PLANS ON THE SHELF FOR 2025. AND THEN THE OTHER ONE IS DESIGN -- IS THE SOUTH PHASE 3, IT'S SCHEDULED TO LET IN 2025, WE ARE GOING TO HAVE THAT ONE READY TO GO ON THE SHELF AS ONE OF THOSE ACCELERATED PROJECT IN 2024. LAST IS THE NORTH, THIS IS THE PIECE ALL AT GRADE, FROM 1103 TO [INDISCERNIBLE], THAT ONE IS STILL NOT FULLY FUNDED. THAT'S THE ONE THAT WE ARE GOING TO BE PUSHING THROUGH THE NPO TRYING TO SECURE THE REMAINING FUNDS FOR THE NORTH SEGMENT.
>> [INDISCERNIBLE] >> IT IS NOT ELEVATED. WHERE IT KIND OF COMES DOWN THE MIDDLE, A LOT OF RIGHT-OF-WAY THERE SO YOU ARE ABLE TO TOUCHDOWN.
IT HAS ONLY ONE GENERAL PURPOSE AND ONE HOV, NOT THE FULL SECTION.
JUST THE OVERALL TIME TO GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF HOW LONG IT TOOK TO IMPLEMENT, 2013 WE WRAPPED UP OUR PLANNING AND ENVIRONMENTAL LINKAGES STUDY, RECEIVED ENVIRONMENTAL CLEARANCE FROM 2015, STARTED TURNING DIRT IN 2021, PRETTY QUICK FOR A PRETTY MAJOR FREEWAY EXPANSION, ESPECIALLY COMPARED TO SOME OF THE FARM-TO-MARKET ROADS THAT I WILL TALK ABOUT HERE SHORTLY.
HOPPING OVER TO THE NORTH SIDE, EVEN THOUGH YOU FEEL LIKE YOU ARE DRIVING THROUGH
[00:15:04]
ONE BIG PROJECT, WE HAVE UNDER -- UNDER CONSTRUCTION RIGHT NOW IS THREE DIFFERENT PROJECTS. SO ON THE FAR RIGHT WHERE IT'S THE PROJECT SCHEDULE, [INDISCERNIBLE] ROAD TO I 10 ITS OWN STANDALONE PROJECT, THAT ONE ACTUALLY IS AHEAD OF SCHEDULE BY SIX MONTHS. SHOULD BE COMPLETED A LITTLE OVER A YEAR FROM NOW.UP TO I-10. I-10 TO 281 ANOTHER SEPARATE PROJECT THEY ARE JUST RIGHT BEHIND THEM, THE INTERCHANGE AT 1604 AND I 10 HAS THREE MORE YEARS TO GO ON IT.
IN OCTOBER WE ARE LETTING THE NEXT PIECE, FROM 281 OVER TO RED LAND ROAD, THAT ONE WILL BE UNDER CONSTRUCTION STARTING PROBABLY NOVEMBER, ACTUALLY DECEMBER. THE NEXT ONE IS REDLAND ROAD TO JUDSON ROAD, THAT ONE IS FULLY FUNDED. GETTING IT AS AN ACCELERATED PROJECT FOR JULY OF '24, GETTING THAT ONE READY TO GO. THE LAST PIECE THAT'S NOT FULLY FUNDED, HALF FUNDED, JUDSON TO 35, ARE THAT WILL COMPLETE THE SEGMENT ALL THE WAY OVER TO 35. THAT ONE WE ARE GETTING ON THE SHELF AND READY IN 2025.
IF YOU ARE NOT FAMILIAR WITH 1604 ON THE LEFT, THAT'S AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT IT WILL LOOK LIKE BASICALLY EXPANDING IT FROM FOUR LANES DOWN THE MIDDLE TO A 10 LANE SECTION AND IN THE INTERCHANGE AT I-10 AND 1604 FROM FIVE LEVEL, MULTI-DIRECTIONAL.
UNIQUE FEATURE WE HAVE FOUR LITTLE ROUNDABOUTS DOWN ON THE BOTTOM.
KIND OF A NICE FEATURE. WE EXPANDED THE PARKING DOWN BELOW FOR THE TRAIL SYSTEM, WITH CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, AND THEN WORKING WITH VIA AND COLLABORATION WITH SOME OF THE FUNDS THEY RECEIVED FROM THE NPO, EXPANDING THE PARK AND RIDE FACILITY AND THE PARKING DOWN THERE, SO IT WILL BE A MUCH CLEANER LOOK DOWN BELOW ON THE INTERCHANGE FOR A LOT OF THE MOBILITY TIE-INS THAT WILL OCCUR.
HERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF CONSTRUCTION ON THE DIRECT CONNECTORS.
RIGHT AND HERE UNDER THIS GAP, THIS IS A MASSIVE CAVE THAT WE HIT, IT'S BEEN A PRETTY CHALLENGING ENDEAVOR TO TRY TO BUILD OVER BUT WE ARE WORKING THROUGH IT.
I-10 EAST, DRIVING THROUGH MILES AND MILES OF CONSTRUCTION.
SO WE ARE CONTINUING TO EXPAND I-10 FROM FOUR LANES TO SIX LANES.
OUR STRETCH FOR WHAT WE ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR WAS FROM 1604 OUT TO STATE HIGHWAY 130. THIS HAS BEEN TAKEN TIME TO WORK THROUGH GETTING THESE ALL FUNDED TO KIND OF GET IT TO THIS POINT. BUT DUE TO THE POOR SOILS OUT THERE, VERY EXPENSIVE, HAVING TO REBUILD A LOT OF THE MAIN LANES WE ARE ACTUALLY PUTTING EVERYTHING AS CONCRETE PAVEMENT, BIG TRANSITION OUT THERE, MOVING FORWARD, THAT WAS THE LOOK AND FEEL OF WHAT THAT STRETCH IS.
SHOWING YOU ALL OF THE PROJECTS TO BREAK IT UP TO THIS POINT.
WHAT'S IN GREEN IS WHAT'S CURRENTLY UNDER CONSTRUCTION, WHAT IS IN BLUE OUT THERE IN SEGUIN IS THE LAST PIECE THAT WE JUST LET AND IT STARTED -- YOU ARE STARTING TO SEE A LITTLE BIT OF ACTION ON IT. YOU CAN SEE THAT LITTLE GAP IN THE MIDDLE, THE LAST TWO PIECES WE NEED TO GET FUNDED.
WE HAVE THE DESIGN ALMOST COMPLETED ON THEM. IT'S JUST A MATTER OF TRYING TO SECURE THE FUNDING IN THE NEXT YEAR. CONSTRUCTION FUNDING, REBUILDING OVERPASSES, THIS ONE IS AT SANTA CLARA. STAYING ON THE EAST SIDE, INTERCHANGE AT 410 AND I-10 EAST. IF YOU GO THROUGH THERE, YOU HAVE A LOT OF HEAVY TRUCK, INDUSTRIAL TRAFFIC. TRYING TO NAVIGATE THOSE CLOVERLEAFS VERY INEFFICIENTLY, THE CLOVERLEAF HAS LIVED ITS LIFE. WE CAME IN, THIS INTERCHANGE IS ACTUALLY VERY EXPENSIVE.
ALMOST A BILL. WE BROKE IT UP INTO A PRIORITY, PHASE 1 BUILDS TWO OF THE CONNECTORS. WE ENVIRONMENTALLY AND CLEARED THES ENTIRE INTERCHANGE WHICH WILL CHANGE IS TO A FIVE LEVEL DIRECT INTERCHANGE WHAT IS WHAT THIS IS A PICTURE OF. THIS IS FOR FOLKS, IF YOU SAY THAT YOU ARE COMING FROM 410 NORTH TO GO OUT I-10 EAST, IF YOU ARE COMING I-10 WEST COMING DOWN SOUTHBOUND TO 410 SOUTH, IT'S MAKING THAT MOVEMENT WHERE A LOT OF THOSE TRUCKS COMING UP FROM THE BORDER FOLKS ARE COMING AROUND 410 SOUTH, GOING TO THE EAST, TO GET TO THOSE DISTRIBUTION CENTERS. THAT'S KIND OF WHAT WE ARE HOPING TO TRY TO FACILITATE THAT MOVEMENT. HOPING OVER TO THE WEST SIDE, THIS PROJECT HASN'T
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GOTTEN A LOT OF NOTICE, BUT IT'S MOVING ALONG PRETTY WELL.THIS IS EXPANSION OF 151. 151 BETWEEN 1604 AND 410 IS A FOUR LANE FREEWAY, CLOSING IN THAT GRASSY MEDIAN TO ADD A THIRD LANE, MAKING NEEDED I IMPROVEMENTS AT THE INTERCHANGE AT 1604 AND CULEBRA, THIS PROJECT JUST STARTED IN MAY OF '23, SO THREE YEARS TO GO ON IT. SOME OF THE OTHER IMPROVEMENTS THAT ARE -- THAT WERE NEEDED ARE ALL OF THE INTERSECTIONS WITH ALL OF THE CITY STREETS.
WE -- IN COLLABORATION WITH THE CITY, ADDING TURN LANES, TURNAROUNDS.
THEY GET PRETTY BUSY WITH A LOT OF THE DEVELOPMENT THAT'S OCCURRED IN THIS AREA. THEN OUT AT 151 AND 1604 WITH NORTH OFF TO THE RIGHT, BUILDING THAT CONNECTOR, NORTH ON 1604, BUILDING A CONTINUANCE FRONTAGE ROAD FOR CULEBRA UNDERNEATH 151 GOING NORTHBOUND WHICH DOESN'T EXIST TODAY, PULLING THAT EXIT C RAMP TO CULEBRA. LAST BUT NOT LEAST UNDER CONSTRUCTION, THIS IS ON THE WEST SIDE OVER AT 410, FROM VALLEY HIGH DOWN TO PEARSALL ROAD, THIS IS KIND OF CHANGING THE RAMP PATTERNS, MAKING SOME IMPROVEMENTS AT THE INTERSECTIONS.
AGAIN, THIS HAS SOME CHALLENGES, THE CONSTRUCTION IS DRAGGING A LITTLE BIT BEHIND, CHALLENGES WITH THE SOIL. STARTED IN MAY, MAY, APRIL OF 2021. THEY SHOULD BE COMPLETE THIS --. SO DECEMBER, JANUARY TIMEFRAME. TO KIND OF GIVE YOU AN IDEA ON LARGER PROJECTS, TTI DID A STUDY LOOKING AT WHAT ARE THE ECONOMIC AND SAFETY CONGESTION BENEFITS OF WHAT YOU ARE INVESTING IN THESE PROJECTS. SO -- SO THE YELLOW BOX KIND OF GIVES YOU A BENEFIT COST RATIO, SO KIND OF PAINTS THE PICTURE OF HEY, IS THERE A BENEFIT FROM A SAFETY CONGESTION RELIEF AND THEN THE ORANGE BARS KIND OF ILLUSTRATE THE ECONOMIC BENEFITS THAT ARE ANTICIPATED BY THE IMPROVEMENTS IN THESE AREAS OF PEOPLE GETTING OUT OF TRAFFIC OR GETTING TO THE BUSINESSES THAT THEY ARE TRYING TO GET TO, IMPROVEMENTS IN THAT MOBILITY. SO IT KIND OF HELPS US, YOU KNOW, MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE LOOKING AT THE RIGHT PROJECTS, YOU KNOW, TO GET THE BEST BANG FOR OUR BUCK.
HERE'S AN OVERALL TIMELINE OF PROJECTS, THE BIGGEST PROJECTS TO TOUCH ON THAT THE DARK ORANGE ARROWS SHOW THE PERCENT OF TIME COMPLETE ON THEM, THEN HATCHED OUT AREA, YOU CAN SEE BY 2025, THREE OF THE FIVE DAY PROJECTS WILL BE WRAPPED UP WITH 35 AND OF COURSE 1604 STILL CONTINUING ON CONTINUE 2027.
NOW UP INTO THE FUNDED AND PARTIALLY FUNDED PROJECTS THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE UNDER DESIGN IN SAN ANTONIO. STARTING OFF ON THE FAR WEST SIDE, THIS IS FM 1560 FROM 471 OR CULEBRA UP TO HIGHWAY 16. THIS TOUCHES ON THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, BEXAR COUNTY AND HELOTES. EXPANDING THIS FARM-TO-MARKET FROM A TWO LANE TO FOUR LANE DIVIDED, UPGRADING A LOT OF DRAINAGE AND HOPING TO ELIMINATE SOME OF THE FLOODING ISSUES THAT ARE OUT THERE.
INCLUDES BIKE LANES, SIDEWALKS ALONG THE ENTIRE STRETCH.
UP INTO THE SOUTHEAST SIDE, AT 37 AND SOUTHEAST MILITARY FOR US, IT'S CALLED LOOP 13.
THIS IS A -- AN NPO FUNDED PROJECT TO IMPROVE THE INTERSECTION THERE AND ALSO BUILD A SMALL STRETCH OF ROAD TE PARTNERSHIP WITH BEXAR COUNTY AND THE DEVELOPER IN THAT AREA. AS WELL AS WORKING WITH BROOK CITY BASE, WITH AN EXTENSION OF CITY BASE ROAD, TOUCH ON THE ELEMENTS THERE. WE ARE ANTICIPATING THE START IN JANUARY OF 2025. SO THE INTERCHANGE WOULD BE TO UPGRADE TO A DIVERGING DIAMOND, VERY SIMILAR TO WHAT WE ARE DOING AT 1604 AND BLANCO.
WE LOOKED AT EVERY POSSIBLE SCENARIO TO HELP WITH THE TRAFFIC MOVEMENT HERE AND THIS WAS THE ONLY THING THAT ROSE TO THE TOP, WE COULDN'T ADD ENOUGH TURN LANES, THROUGH LANES. THE ONLY THING THAT HELPED THINGS WAS TO ELIMINATE THE SIGNAL AT PRESSA, THAT CLEANS UP A LOT OF THINGS, BUT NOT A VIABLE OPTION.
THIS DDI IS A UNIQUE INTERSECTION THAT WILL HELP THINGS HERE.
THE OTHER KEY THING IS THAT GREEN BRIDGE YOU SEE KIND OF RUNNING UP AND DOWN ON THE SCREEN. THERE'S A BYPASS FRONTAGE ROAD, I WILL FLIP TO THE NEXT TO EXPLAIN WHAT THAT IS, BASICALLY IF YOU ARE ON 37 SOUTHBOUND, YOU WILL EXIT MILITARY, AND IT WILL SPLIT. YOU CAN EITHER GO TO MILITARY PROPER OR YOU CAN HOP ON THIS LITTLE OVERPASS, IT WILL GO OVER MILITARY DRIVE AND HERE IT WILL
[00:25:04]
CONNECT TO THE FRONTAGE ROAD THAT WE ARE EXPENDING AND YOU WOULD BE ABLE TO GET TO CITY BASE ROAD, WHICH IS THAT PURPLEISH, MAGENTA COLORED ROAD THAT WILL CONNECT BACK TO PRESSA TO BOOK STREET BASE. THAT IS A PLANNED MASTER DEVELOPMENTS THAT WILL BE GOING ON THERE. THIS IS 410, 281 AT THE INTERCHANGE. WHEN WE GO OUT TO PUBLIC MEETINGS, NO MATTER WHERE IT'S AT, WE ALWAYS WILL DO A COMMENT TO FIX THE WEEDING AT SAN PEDRO AT 281.WE GET THIS COMMENT AND COMPLAINT PROBABLY MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE MORE THAN ANY OTHER ROADWAY THAT WE HAVE IN THE REGION. IT'S NOT EVEN CLOSE.
WHEN WE STARTED DIGGING INTO THE SAFETY AND THE CRASHES, HIGHEST CRASH LOCATION, HIGHEST FREQUENCY OF CRASHES, NOT EVEN CLOSE. I MEAN, IT JUST JUMPED OUT AS OKAY YOU HAVE GOT TO DO SOMETHING. SO WE DO HAVE A FULLY FUNDED PROJECT HERE THAT WE ARE PLANNING TO GET OUT IN THE SPRING OF 2026.
WE HAVE DONE AN EXORBITANT AMOUNT OF PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT FOR THE PAST ALMOST FOUR AND A HALF YEARS, FOUR OR FIVE YEARS, TO GET TO THIS POINT. I'LL TOUCH ON SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS. SO THIS IS KIND OF LOOKING TOWARDS 281.
NORTH STAR MALL AND THE BOOTS ARE ON THE BOTTOM OF THE SCREEN, THAT'S MCCULLOUGH. THIS IS ONE OF THE MORE CONTROVERSIAL CHALLENGES THAT WE HAD TO OVERCOME. AT MCCULLOUGH, WHAT WE HAD TO DO WAS NOT ALLOW -- PEOPLE ON MCCULLOUGH CANNOT GO STRAIGHT ACROSS. WE HAD TO REOUT THE TRAFFIC
TO JONES MALTSBERGER. >> PEOPLE WERE UNHAPPY ABOUT THAT.
>> YEAH, WE HAVE MET WITH THEM A MULTITUDE OF TIMES. THEY HAVE HAD A LOT OF OPPORTUNITIES. WE ARE WORKING, GOING TO MAKE IMPROVEMENTS TO JONES MALTSBERGER TO PUT A TWO WAY LEFT TURN LANE TO HELP FACILITATE GETTING IN AND OUT OF THEIR SUBDIVISION, WHICH IS A BETTER SITUATION THAN THEY HAVE TODAY AT JONES MALTSBERGER -- AT MCCULLOUGH. BUT IT WAS A CHALLENGE BECAUSE IN THE ORIGINAL DESIGN WHEN 281 WAS BUILT, THERE WAS NO BRIDGE AT MCCULLOUGH. ADDED ON AFTER THE FACT. WE ENDED UP WITH THE SAN PEDRO EXIT AND WEEDING THAT CAUSED ALL OF THOSE CRASHES. THE TRADEOFF WAS, THIS IS STILL A STRAYEDOFF ALLOWING THE LEFT -- TRADE OFF ALLOWING THE SOUTHBOUND TO MCCULLOUGH IN TRYING TO T FIX THAT WEAVING MOVEMENT. BUT BASICALLY, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU CAN SEE IT ON THERE, WHAT WE DID IS IF YOU ARE COMING ON 281 THAT DIRECT CONNECTOR, THE 410 TRAFFIC CAN JUMP ACROSS AND EXIT SAN PAD.
PUTTING A BARRIER TO WHERE THE 410 TRAFFIC CANNOT GET TO THE SAN PEDRO EXIT LIKE THEY DO TODAY. THE 410 TRAFFIC COMING FROM, SAY, NACOGDOCHES OR FROM THE EAST, THEY WILL EXIT, THERE WILL BE A TWO LANE EXIT FOR MCCULLOUGH AND SAN PEDRO, UNDER THE DIRECT CONDUCTOR, THROUGH THIS INTERSECTION AT MCCULLOUGH ALWAYS GREEN, THEY WILL CONTINUE ON TO SAN PEDRO. YOU HAD TO FACILITATE A FREE MOVEMENT THAT'S BASICALLY WHAT THE TRADEOFF THERE WAS. THEN KIND OF THE OTHER BIGGEST CHALLENGE WAS THE SAN PEDRO EXIT IF YOU ARE GOING EASTBOUND, THAT EXIT RAMP WAS ALWAYS BACKING UP. SO WE -- WE TOOK THAT OUT AND PULLED IT BACK BEYOND BLANCO. SO YOU CAN KIND OF SEE OFF TO THE RIGHT, THE ELEVATED EXIT RAMP TO SAN PEDRO THAT WILL KIND OF CONTINUE THROUGH THIS STRETCH.
JUMPING OVER TO THE WEST SIDE, THIS KIND OF TOUCHES ON A LITTLE BIT OF CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, BEXAR COUNTY AREA. EXPANSION OF US 90.
IF YOU HAVE NOT BEEN OUT THERE AND SEEN THE ASTRONOMICAL GROWTH WHEN WE HAVE DONE TRAFFIC PROJECTIONS AND GROWTH MODELS, NOT EVEN CLOSE.
16 TO 18%, WHICH IS REALLY HIGH. USUALLY BARELY 8 TO 9% RANGE, SO ALMOST DOUBLE WITH THAT GROWTH. CREATING A LOT OF STRAIN OUT ON US 90, WHICH IS STILL AN OLDER FACILITY, STILL SET UP FOR LIKE A RURAL TYPE OF CONDITION. SO WE HAVE TWO FUNDED PROJECTS.
ONE FROM 1604 TO 410 AND ONE FROM 211 TO 1604. PHASE ONE FROM 1604 TO 410, SCHEDULED TO LET IN 2025, BUT WE WILL HAVE IT ON THE SHELF FOR JULY OF 2024.
THE SAME THING OF PHASE 2, OUT IN 2028, WE WILL HAVE IT READY IN 2025.
SO HERE'S KIND OF JUST A -- A LITTLE IMAGE OF WHAT IT WILL LOOK LIKE.
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IT'S TAKING IT FROM A FOUR-LANE TO A SIX LANE FREEWAY WITH FRONTAGE ROADSWHICH DO NOT EXIST OUT THERE TODAY. >> WHEN YOU SAY THAT YOU HAVE GOT SOMETHING IT WILL BE COMPLETED. IT'S HARD TO GET THAT FAR AHEAD TO WHERE IT'S JUST SITTING THERE, YOU CAN GRAB IT. YOU ARE GETTING IT, IT WILL BE DONE FOUR MONTHS PRIOR TO THAT TARGET LET DATE. BECAUSE A LOT OF THINGS HAVE TO HAPPEN PRIOR TO THAT. YOU ARE GETTING UTILITIES MOVED.
BUT WE ARE ACTIVELY WORKING ON IT, BUT WE KNOW JUST AFTER DOING IT FOR SO LONG, HEY, WE CAN GET THAT ON THE SHELF, YOU KNOW, BY THIS DATE.
BECAUSE OTHERWISE WE COULD SIT THERE AND GO IF I DON'T GET IT ON THE RADAR FOR AUSTIN OR OUR FOLKS IN AUSTIN, I CAN SIT THERE AND GO, OKAY, WE WILL GET IT DONE IN JULY, OKAY, THIS ONE IS READY FOR JULY, THEN IT'S TOO LATE.
BUT IF YOU GET IT OUT THERE, THEY KNOW, THEY CAN HELP MAKE DECISIONS IF A HOUSTON PROJECT FALLS THROUGH, THEN THEY ALREADY KNOW WE CAN COUNT ON SAN ANTONIO.
THEY HAVE ONE ALREADY PLANNED. THAT MAKES SENSE, YOU KIND OF GET TO THAT SCENARIO. THESE ARE UNFUNDED, THE STUFF THAT WE ARE WORKING ON TO TRY TO GET READY TO SECURE FUNDS FOR PORTIONS OF IT.
THIS IS 410 SOUTHWEST FROM INGRAM ROAD, WE HAVE BUILT PIECES OF THIS ALREADY, BUT WE STILL HAVE -- WE NEED TO ADD MORE LANES FROM US 90 DOWN TO STATE HIGHWAY 16.
THE PROBLEM IS IT'S ABOUT 600 MILLION, WE NEED TO BUY RIGHT-OF-WAY OUT THERE.
THAT'S WHERE WE ARE IN THE PROCESS. IT'S ONGOING, BUT NOT QUITE THERE YET WITH THE RIGHT-OF-WAY. I CAN'T COMMIT TO GETTING FUNDED WE NEED RIGHT-OF-WAY AND WE HAVE A LOT OF UTILITIES THAT NEED TO MOVE OUT OF THE WAY. ON THE LEFT IS WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE TODAY.
IT'S A FOUR-LANE -- FOUR LANE FREEWAY. ON THE RIGHT IT WILL BE EXPANDED TO AN EIGHT LANE FREEWAY ON THAT STRETCH. JUMPING OVER TO THE EAST SIDE, HERE WE NEED TO MAKE SOME RAMP CHANGES, UPGRADE SOME INTERSECTIONS BETWEEN 87 AND 37. SO NO WE ARE DOING STUDIES OVER HERE, VERY EARLY.
WE DO NOT HAVE -- THIS ONE IS NOT QUITE TO THAT POINT, BUT WE WANT TO GET IT ON THE RADAR, WE KNOW THERE ARE NEEDED IMPROVEMENTS BECAUSE WE ARE SEEING A PATTERN OF TRUCKS COMING UP FROM 37 AND 410 THAT ARE COMING ON THAT LITTLE STRETCH AND GETTING DOWN 87 OR GETTING ON I-10 AND HOPPING OFF. 410 KIND OF ON THE NORTH SIDE, CLOSING THE GAP, WE HAVE EXPANDED 410 FROM 90 UP TO ABOUT INGRAM, WORKING ON THE PROJECT THAT I POINTED OUT AT 410, 281 AREA. THIS IS KIND OF THE AREA IN BETWEEN. IF YOU GO TO THE 410-I-10 INTERCHANGE.
PRETTY MUCH ANY TIME OF DAY, IF YOU ARE ON I-10 COMING INBOUND, THE DIRECT CONNECTOR THERE AT MEDICAL ENTRANCE IS ALWAYS BACKED UP.
WE ARE LOOKING AT POTENTIAL IMPROVEMENTS TO THE INTERCHANGE AT 410 AND I-10 TO TRY TO HELP ALLEVIATE AND ADDRESS SOME OF THE NEEDS. WHAT WE HAVE DONE IS OPENED UP THE VALVE, IF YOU WILL, OUTSIDE OF IT, AND NOW IT'S KIND OF CAUSED A LITTLE BIT MORE OF A LONGER DELAY IN THE CENTRAL SECTION. AND WITH THE NORTHWEST SIDE, THIS IS -- STATE HIGHWAY 16. COMMONLY KNOWN AS BANDERA ROAD FROM LOOP 1604 TO 410.
WE HAVE BEEN STUDYING IT SINCE 1995. WE ARE ABOUT TO THE POINT WHERE WE'RE HOPING THIS IS THE LAST TIME WE STUDY IT AND IMPLEMENT SOMETHING.
KIND OF WHERE WE'RE AT, I WILL FLIP TO THE SLIDE THAT KIND OF ILLUSTRATES WHAT THE PROPOSED IMPROVEMENTS WOULD KIND OF LOOK LIKE. OUR NEXT PLAN PROJECT MEETING WOULD BE IN THE SPRING OF 2024. RIGHT NOW WE'RE JUST WORKING THROUGH THE TRAFFIC MODELS. WE ARE REALLY LOOKIN AT WHAT THE RIGHT-OF-WAY NEEDS ARE ALONG THE CORRIDOR. THEY ARE LOOKING LIKE THEY ARE A LOT MORE EXPENSIVE THAN WE ANTICIPATED DUE TO THE NUMBER OF UTILITIES THAT ARE OUT THERE.
HERE'S KIND OF A -- A QUICK LOOK AT WHAT WE ARE LOOKING AT DOING TO BANDERA ROAD.
THIS IS EVERYTHING AT GRADE, NO ELEVATED LANES. IT'S A COMBINATION OF WHAT YOU WOULD CALL A SUPER STREET, ARE CUT UNIQUE INTERSECTIONS TO FACILITATE THE AMOUNT OF TRAFFIC. SHARED USE PATHS ALONG BOTH SIDES.
TRYING TO PROVIDE AS MUCH OF A BUFFER BETWEEN THE BUSINESSES AND ROADS AND SHARED USE TO MAKE IT MORE OF A WELCOMING ENVIRONMENT, THAT'S WHY WE ARE REALLY GOING BACK AND LOOKING AT THE RIGHT-OF-WAY NEEDS. AFTER LOOKING AT IT, IT WOULD REALLY TRIGGER A LOT OF MORE RIGHT-OF-WAY THAN TYPICALLY FOR THIS PROJECT, BUT IN THE END IS KIND OF COMPLEMENTS THE PLANNING STUDIES THAT THE CITY OF SAN
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ANTONIO DID, IT CAN BE REVITALIZED OR A GREATER OPPORTUNITY OR BETTER HIGHER AND BEST USE MOVING FORWARD. THIS MIGHT BE THAT TRANSFORMATIVE PROJECT THAT COULD HELP CHANGE SOME THINGS, THE LOOK AND FEEL OF BANDERA ROAD MOVING FORWARD.OVER ON THE EAST SIDE, LOOP 1604 FROM 35 TO I-10, EXPANDING IT TO A FREEWAY.
OUT THERE YOU HAVE A MIX MUCH JUST SOME FOUR LANE KIND OF RURAL WITH INTERSECTIONS, BUT THIS BEING OVERPASS IMPROVING CONNECTIVITY 10 FM 78 AND RANDOLPH AIR FORCE BASE. THAT HAS ALWAYS BEEN A CHALLENGE.
THIS IS A UNIQUE TYPE OF INTERCHANGE, AN ELEVATED TURN AROUND.
IF YOU ARE GOING SOUTHBOUND ON 1604 AND YOU WANT TO GET OVER TO THE BASE OR TO 78, WE COULDN'T GO TWO OR THREE LEVELS BECAUSE OF THE FLIGHT PATH WITH THE BASE.
SO WE CAN SLIDE PAST IT, PAST RANDOLPH HIGH SCHOOL, AND COME BACK AROUND AND TOUCHDOWN TO GET TO 78. SO KIND OF A UNIQUE -- UNIQUE TYPE OF PROJECT, RIGHT NOW WE ARE BUYING THE RIGHT-OF-WAY NEEDED FOR THIS.
WE'RE GOING TO START THE DESIGN ON IT AND START TRYING TO GET FUNDING IN THE NEXT [INDISCERNIBLE]. US 90 ON THE WEST TO CENTRAL SIDE.
US 90 IS AN OLD FREEWAY THAT HAS REMAINED THAT WAY FOR 70 YEARS.
THERE'S A LOT OF IMPROVEMENTS THAT NEED TO BE DONE.
RIGHT NOW WE ARE REPAIRING A LOT OF THE PAVEMENT ISSUES. GOING BACK AND GOING FROM 410 TO DOWNTOWN PROPER, THESE RAMPS NEED TO BE IMPROVED, NOT ONLY IN THE GUARD SENSE. THERE'S A LOT THAT NEEDS TO JUST KIND OF MODERNIZE THIS TO A MODERN FREEWAY. WE HAVE WORKED ON IMPROVING THE LIGHTING TWO YEARS AGO.
SO THIS IS KIND OF THAT NEXT STEP ON REALLY TRANSFORMING THIS INTO MORE OF A MODERN FREEWAY AS IT TIES INTO DOWNTOWN ON THE WEST SIDE OF SAN ANTONIO.
AND THE LAST THE LAST ONE IS A DOWNTOWN STUDY.
WE KICKED THIS EFFORT OFF BACK IN 2019. COVID HIT AND WE WERE UNABLE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH ANY ACTIVITIES ON IT DUE TO BUDGET ISSUES.
NOW WE'RE KIND OF GETTING OUR FEET BACK UNDER US AND SAYING HEY, NOW THERE'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO KIND OF START THIS STUDY AGAIN. THERE'S NO FUNDED PROJECT OUT OF THIS RIGHT NOW, BUT WE'RE LOOKING AT WHAT ARE THE SHORT-TERM NEEDS.
WE ALL KNOW THE FINE SILVER CURVE IS ONE OF THE PRIORITIES FOR US TO LOOK AT. WHAT CAN WE DO THERE?& WE'RE LOOKING AT HOW THE CITY NETWORK INTERACTS, THE ENTRANCE AND EXIT RAMPS, AND HOW THE BOND PROJECTS THAT HAVE CHANGED TRAVEL PATTERNS OR WILL CHANGE TRAVEL PATTERNS AS LANES HAVE SHIFTED OR YOU'VE HAD SOME ONE WAY STREETS CONVERTED TO TWO-WAY ON THE CITY GRID DOWNTOWN AND HOW WILL THAT IMPACT PEOPLE'S DECISIONS ON HOW THEY GET INTO AND OUT OF DOWNTOWN. SO KIND OF PIGGYBACKING ON THAT, WE'RE LOOKING AT HOW THAT INTERACTS WITH THE FREEWAY SYSTEM TO SEE WHAT IMPROVEMENTS COULD BE MADE IN THE SHORT-TERM, MIDTERM AND KIND OF LONG-TERM. AND I KIND OF CLIPPED ON THE RIGHT. ONE OF THE THINGS WE WERE LOOKING AT IS EVERYTHING AND ANYTHING. ONE OF THE THINGS IS IN ALABAMA WE HAVE AN ELEVATED FREEWAY SYSTEM THAT THEY'RE WORKING ON IF YOU'VE EVER SEEN IT.
IT'S REALLY COOL, TRANSFORMATIVE, PROVIDES A PARKLAND AND A LOT OF THINGS UNDERNEATH, ACTIVITIES TO KIND OF FACILITATE MOVEMENT OF PEOPLE BY FOOT AND WHATNOT UNDERNEATH SOME OF THE FREEWAY THAT THEY HAVE THERE.
SO THAT'S JUST KIND OF AN EXAMPLE. WE'LL BE WORKING CLOSELY WITH CENTRO AND THE FOLKS DOWNTOWN AS WE MOVE ON THIS STUDY.
WITH THAT, THAT'S ALL I HAVE. IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS OR
ANYTHING ELSE, I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER. >> I THINK I REALLY APPRECIATE THE PRESENTATION. IT GIVES US INFORMATION THAT WE CAN SHARE WITH THE PEOPLE IN OUR DISTRICTS. I KNOW A LOT OF WORK HAS GONE ON IN MY DISTRICT OVER THE YEARS. I THINK THAT ALL OF US FIND THAT PEOPLE ARE ASKING WHAT'S GOING ON IN OUR AREA RELATED TO WHETHER IT'S 410 OR 281 OR 1604 OR WHATEVER. I REALLY APPRECIATE THIS. ONE QUESTION I HAVE, THOUGH, WE ALL KNOW THE CONGESTION BETWEEN AUSTIN AND SAN ANTONIO.
AND I'VE NOTICED A LOT OF ADDITIONAL CONGESTION ALONG 3009 NOW GOING FROM -- TO THE WEST OF I-35 CONNECTING TO IT, PROBABLY FROM BOTH WAYS.
AND 46 ALL THE WAY, THAT AREA IS GROWING MASSIVELY. SO WHY AREN'T WE DOING ELEVATION EVEN FURTHER? IS IT JUST A MATTER OF MONEY OR A MATTER OF TIME AND MAYBE THEY'LL ADD MORE ELEVATION? BECAUSE IT'S HECTIC AND GROWING. AND COMING SOUTH FROM SAN MARCOS, USED TO BE YOU COULD
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BREEZE RIGHT THROUGH NEW BRAUNFELS AND SAN MARCOS AND THEN YOU'D SLOW DOWN WHEN YOU'D GET UP TO AUSTIN, BUT NOW IT'S GETTING MORE AND MORE CONGESTED I THINKBECAUSE OF 46. WHAT ABOUT MORE ELEVATION? >> THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.
WE DO HAVE ANOTHER STUDY UP THERE WHERE THE NEX PROJECT ENDS TO EXTEND IT BECAUSE THERE IS A FOUR-MILE GAP. AS YOU GET INTO NEW BRAUNFELS THERE IS EIGHT LANES. SOUTH OF NEW BRAUNFELS THERE ARE SIX LANES.
WE'RE LOOKING TO TRY TO EXTEND THAT PIECE. THAT WILL BE SOMETHING YOU WILL SEE IN A PRESENTATION COMING TO NPA PROBABLY IN THE NEXT TWO MONTHS ON THAT AS AN IDENTIFIED NEED. THE NEXT IS 46 FROM NEW BRAUNFELS DOWN TO SEGUIN AND WE'RE WORKING ON THEM TO EXPAND 46 TO A FREEWAY WHICH WOULD REALLY COMPLEMENT THE STUFF I WAS TALKING ABOUT ON I-10 EAST ON THE TRUCK MOVEMENT TO PULL THE FOLKS THAT ARE JUST TRYING TO GET THROUGH. SO THEY'RE NOT ON THESE CONGESTED SEGMENTS AS YOU IDENTIFIED. OUR PARTNERS IN AUSTIN ARE WORKING ON A STUDY FROM NEW BRAUNFELS UP INTO AUSTIN ON WHAT DO WE NEED TO DO? ISIS IT HOV LANES, MANAGED LANES? WE'RE WORKING WITH THEM IN
THE VERY EARLY STAGES. >> COURAGE: WITH THE LEVEES ON SLIDE 4 AM I UNDERSTANDING THAT THE MONEY IS THERE TO DO THOSE. IT'S JUST A MATTER OF THE TIMING? I THINK IT WAS SLIDE 4. RIGHT THERE.
>> ON THIS ONE? >> COURAGE: YEAH. SO THE FUNDING IS THERE.
SO A GOOD EXAMPLE IS THAT 285 MILLION. SO THOSE PROJECTS, WE WERE EXPECTING THAT IN THE LAST UTP AND NPO ALLOCATION THAT WE MAY GET THOSE FUNDED.
BUT WE DIDN'T STOP DEVELOPING OR DESIGNING THEM SO YOU CONTINUE TO DEVELOP JUST AS IF YOU WERE GOING TO GET THEM FUNDED. THAT WAY YOU'RE READY.
THAT'S THE BEST CASE SCENARIO. YOU GET THEM READY AND SOMEONE ELSE'S DEAL IF YOU DIDN'T SELECT IT FOR FUNDING, IT'S READY.
IT'S STARING THEM RIGHT IN THE FACE. THAT'S KIND OF WHAT YOU WANT TO DO IS PUT YOURSELF IN THE POSITION WHERE YOU'RE DOING EVERYTHING YOU CAN WITHIN YOUR POWER TO DEVELOP THE PROJECTS AND HAVING A PLAN. THE THING THAT I THINK HAS HELPED US IS WE'VE BEEN VERY CONSISTENT WITH THE NPO FOR THE PAST FIVE YEARS.
THESE ARE THE PRIORITY PROJECTS. AND STICKING TO THAT IS WHAT HAS HELPED US GET TO WHERE WE ARE TO WHERE WE CAN BE AGGRESSIVE.
IF THE PLAN IS CONSTANTLY CHANGING YOU CAN'T DO THIS. YOU CAN'T BE AGGRESSIVE BECAUSE YOU'RE CHASING YOUR TAIL. YOU SPEND A LOT OF RESOURCES AND TIME GETTING SOMETHING READY AND NPO OR SOMEBODY CHANGES THE PRIORITIES, NOW YOU JUST WASTED A LOT OF TIME YOU CAN'T GET BACK. AND IF YOU'RE NOT GOING TO IMPLEMENT TA PROJECT OR TRYING TO GET FUNDING FOR IT THEN YOU ARE STARTING OVER WITH SOMETHING THAT YOU DON'T HAVE READY. SO THAT'S SOMETHING I'LL HIGHLIGHT AT THE NPO IS THAT PRIORITIZATION LIST TO GET IT THERE.
THE CONFORMITY AND THE CONSTRAINTS THAT ARE PUT ON US IS REALLY GOING TO BE THE CHALLENGE OF MOVING FORWARD. WE ALREADY RAN INTO THAT THIS PAST YEAR. THEIR CONFORMITY REALLY DOES LIMIT YOUR FLEXIBILITY IF YOU'RE WANTING TO MOVE AROUND PROJECTS. OR YOU'RE NOT PLANNING OUT
25 YEARS. >> COURAGE: OKAY. I'LL SEE IF ANY OF THE OTHER COMMITTEE MEMBERS HAVE A QUESTION. YES, COUNCILMAN?
>> THANKS SO MUCH FOR THE PRESENTATION, CLAYTON, AND ALL THE WORK THAT THE DEPARTMENT HAS DONE ON THIS. SO I HAD A QUICK QUESTION ON SLIDE 33, THE INVESTING FOR THE FUTURE SLIDE, THE ONE WHERE IT SHOWS KIND OF THE RATIO BETWEEN CONGESTION, SAFETY AND ENVIRONMENT AND ECONOMIC BENEFITS.
IS THERE A SPECIFIC RATIO Y'ALL ARE LOOKING FOR? LIKE IF SOME PROJECTS HAVE MORE OF A CONGESTION, SAFETY AND ENVIRONMENT IMPACT VERSUS --
>> THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION. FOR US THERE'S NOT NECESSARILY A SET TARGET.
THIS IS RELATIVELY NEW. I THINK THEY HAD TTI START DOING IT BACK IN 2019 SO THIS IS KIND OF ONE OF THOSE THINGS THEY'RE GOING HEY, WHERE ARE WE AT THIS? CONSIDERING WHAT WE'RE DOING, INVESTING THE PUBLIC'S MONEY, WHAT IS OUR RATE ON RETURN? AND WHAT IS IT SHOWING AS? TTI DOES THIS STATEWIDE.
IT'S SPECIFIC FOR PROJECTS BUT KIND OF PAINTED ACROSS THE STATE WHERE YOU CAN SEE HEY, WHAT'S OUR BEST BANG FOR THE BUCK. YOU CAN SEE I-10 WEST, THAT'S A VERY CHEAP PROJECT. THAT PROJECT IS 120 MILLION, BUT 9.5 -- YOU GOT REALLY GOOD BANG FOR YOUR BUCK FOR A LITTLE BIT OF INVESTMENT VERSUS THE NEX WE ARE TALKING 3-POINT # 4 BILLION BUT YOUR RETURN IS STILL 3.4. IT'S KIND OF RELATIVE ON WHAT IS THAT TARGET?
THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION. I DO NOT KNOW. >> YEAH.
JUST CURIOUS. AND WE CAN CHAT LATER ABOUT THAT.
ALSO TOO I WAS CURIOUS ABOUT WHAT THAT WOULD LOOK LIKE FOR IN PARTICULAR I'M REALLY
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HONED IN ON BANDERA ROAD. I'M CURIOUS WHAT THAT RATIO WOULD LOOK LIKE FOR BANDERA ROAD. BUT WE CAN DISCUSS -- WE COULD DISCUSS THAT LATER.GOING ON TO BANDERA ROAD, I DON'T KNOW WHAT SLIDE IT IS AT THE VERY END.
IT'S IN THE UNFUNDED PROJECTS. SO YOU MENTIONED THAT IT'S BEEN STUDIED SINCE '95. WHAT'S TAKEN SO LONG TO ACTIVATE AROUND IT?
UH-OH, YOU SIGHED [LAUGHTER]. >> NOTHING IS EVER EASY.
WHEN YOU GO THROUGH A SMALL COMMUNITY LIKE LEON VALLEY, LEON VALLEY'S VISION IS THEY WERE THE SUBURBAN COMMUNITY YEARS AGO, RIGHT? AND YOU HAD THIS ON HIGHWAY. BANDERA ROAD WAS, THERE WAS NO STATE HIGHWAY 151.
I-10 AT THE TIME WAS NOT REALLY ESTABLISHED. YOU KNOW, SO IT WAS U.S. 87 WHICH IS NOW FREDRICKSBURG ROAD, WHICH FREDRICKSBURG HIGHWAY, AND YOU HAD BANDERA HIGHWAY, WHICH WAS THROUGH LEON VALLEY. TXDOT STRUGGLED JUST TO ADD LANES, SO EVEN THOUGH IT LOOKS LIKE WHEN YOU DRIVE THROUGH IT THERE ARE SIX LANES THROUGH THERE, IT ACTUALLY WAS THE OLD PAYMENT PAVEMENT FROM THE 1930S THAT WE'VE JUST RESTRIPED AND TOOK AWAY THE SHOULDERS. SO ALL WE'VE DONE OVER THE YEARS IS JUST ROBBED A LOT OF INFRASTRUCTURE. IT'S BUILT LIKE A FREEWAY.
EVERYTHING WAS INTENDED LIKE RURAL WHEN YOU'RE DRIVING THROUGH AND THE GRADES ARE NOT VERY GOOD. IF YOU LOU GO TO THE INTERSECTION OF HUEBNER, IT WAS NOT MADE TO BE AN ARTERIAL STREET. FAST FORWARD IN THE '90S WAS THE CLEANEST WAY. 151 WAS KIND OF GETTING ESTABLISHED, BUT IT WAS HEY, IS THAT THE ULTIMATE SECTION? IS THAT GOING TO FACILITATE ALL THE TRAFFIC THROUGH THERE? SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT TXDOT ALWAYS LOOKED AT IS THIS WAS MEANT TO BE A HIGHWAY, SO IT WAS IT NEEDS TO BE A HIGHWAY SO IT WAS BUILD OVERPASSES AT THE KEY STREETS.
AT THE TIME LEON VALLEY WAS NEVER ON BOARD WITH IT. YOU HAVE THE SAME ELECTED OFFICIAL THERE AND IT MAKES SENSE. YOU ADVOCATE FOR YOUR FOLKS AND ESPECIALLY A SMALL COMMUNITY. IT'S HARD TO ABSORB THAT YOU COULD LOSE TDHAT TO A FREEWAY. EVERY THE YEARS THERE WAS A LOT OF STUDYING BACK AND FORTH. LATE '90S, EARLY 2000S FUNDING WASN'T THERE SO THAT'S WHEN THE TOLL ROADS CAME IN AS A FUNDING MECHANISM SO THEY IDENTIFIED THAT ROAD AS A TOLL ROAD POTENTIAL FACILITY.
SO IT WAS STUDIED FROM AN ECONOMIC BENEFIT AND IT DID WELL.
SO THERE WAS A PUSH TO DO IT, BUT IT WAS DON'T BUY ANY RIGHT-OF-WAY, JUST SLAP IT DOWN, COLUMNS DOWN THE MIDDLE AND ELEVATE ALL THE WAY FROM 1604 TO 410 AS AN ELEVATED ROAD. SO THAT CREATED A LOT OF CHALLENGES GOING FORWARD WHEN YOU HAVE THAT TASTE IN YOUR MOUTH. SO NOW FAST FORWARD TO WHERE WE'RE AT TODAY, ELEVATED OPTIONS REALLY BECAME SOMETHING YOU DIDN'T WANT TO DO OR WASN'T PALATABLE SO NOW IT IS WHAT CAN YOU DO TO FACILITATE IT NOT AS A FREEWAY, BUT STILL TRY TO COMPLEMENT WHAT THE CITY'S OBJECTIVES STILL ARE BETWEEN
LEON VALLEY AND THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO. >> IT SOUNDS LIKE FINALLY WE'RE AT A PLACE WHERE WE WANT TO MOVE FORWARD WITH BANDERA ROAD.
I KNOW I KNOCKED ON 4,000 DOORS AND THIS WAS A HUGE TOPIC FOR A LOT OF RESIDENTS IN DISTRICT 7. I KNOW THAT RECENTLY THE MAYOR AND I SUBMITTED A LETTER TO HAVE THE BANDERA WORKING GROUP RECONVENED BECAUSE I KNOW WE HADN'T MET FOR AWHILE. HOPEFULLY WE CAN GET THAT MEETING SOONER RATHER THAN LATER BECAUSE THE SPRING OF 2024 SOUNDS LIKE FAR AWAY, BUT I CAN WORK WITH YOU ON THAT. ALSO TOO I KNOW THAT THERE'S OBVIOUSLY GOING TO BE SOME MONETARY OBLIGATION TO GET BANDERA ROAD MOVING. IS THERE PLACES THAT WE COULD START NOW? AND I'LL PREFACE THIS BY SAYING I'M AN ACTIVATOR.
I'VE TOLD YOU THIS BEFORE. I'M READY TO GET GOING ON IT.
I KNOW THERE'S A LOT OF PIECES ON THIS PUZZLE BUT I'M WONDERING WHAT WE COULD START DOING FROM THE CITY'S PERSPECTIVE RIGHT NOW SO WE CAN GET THIS MOVING ALONG.
>> SURE. SO BASICALLY A LOT OF IT WILL COME DOWN TO SUPPORT.
AS WE'RE KIND OF MOVING THROUGH IT, AS I MENTIONED THE RIGHT-OF-WAY IS GOING TO BE A NEED. AND IT TAKES TIME. IT'S GOING TO TAKE SOME TIME TO GO THROUGH THAT PROCESS. WHAT WE'RE DOING RIGHT NOW IS BREAKING THE PROJECT UP INTO TWO PIECES FOR FUNDING. ONE IS FROM 410 TO GUILBEAUX AND YOU GET THOSE IN THE LONG RANGE PLAN FROM NPO AND THAT GIVES US THE ABILITY TO GET ENVIRONMENTAL CLEARANCE. AFTER WE GET ENVIRONMENTAL CLEARANCE THEN WE CAN START BUYING THE RIGHT-OF-WAY. THAT'S THE KEY THING.
IN THE MEANTIME OUR PLAN IS IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE NPO TO SUBMIT IT FOR WHAT'S CALLED UTP FUNDING. THE BIGGER CATEGORY 2, 4, 12 FUNDING.
WHAT HELPS IT, WILL HELP IT DO WELL, IS THAT IT'S ON THE TOP 100 MOST CONGESTED
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ROADWAYS. SO THAT HELPS IT THERE ON ITS OWN.BUT LOCAL COMMUNITY SUPPORT WILL GO -- DEFINITELY HELP. WHEN IT COMES UP FOR POTENTIAL, SAY, COMMISSION FUNDING AT THAT TIME THROUGH THE UTP PROCESS.
SO I'LL KIND OF TOUCH ON THIS KIND OF AS WE GO THROUGH THE UTP WITH THE NPO
THIS WINTER. >> OKAY. >> SO IT'S KIND OF ONE OF THOSE THINGS I KNOW IT'S FRUSTRATING AND IT SEEMS LIKE IT DOES TAKE -- WE OPERATE AT THE SPEED OF GOVERNMENT. WE OPERATE AT THE SPEED OF GOVERNMENT, BUT IT'S GETTING THE PROJECT DEVELOPMENT DONE IS THE KEY THING.
AND I THINK WE'RE GETTING CLOSER THAN WE'VE EVER BEEN.
I THINK WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO RIGHT NOW IS HONE IN ON WHAT IS THE ACTUAL RIGHT-OF-WAY NEEDS AND GO BACK AND MEET WITH ALL THE PROPERTY OWNERS AGAIN.
BECAUSE THE PLANNING STUDY, I DON'T KNOW IF YOU'VE SEEN IT.
IT DID A REALLY GOOD JOB ON WHAT THE CITY DID WITH THE ECONOMICS OUT THERE.
IT IDENTIFIED RIGHT OUT OF THE GATE THAT LEON VALLEY YOU HAD A DONUT EFFECT HAPPENING. 20 YEARS OF RENT OR LEASES NOT GOING UP AT ALL.
YOU HAVE PARKING LOTS THAT ARE VACANT THAT IS NOT HIGHEST AND BEST USE SO NOW IT'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO KIND OF MAYBE HERE YOU GO, YOU CAN KIND OF REJUVENATE SOME OF THAT WITH A PROJECT. IT'S DEFINITELY FOREFRONT OUR RADAR.
I THINK WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO SET THAT UP IN OCTOBER. WE CAN RECONVENE AND GO OVER
NEXT STEPS SO WE'RE ALTOGETHER ON IT. >> SURE.
I KNOW THAT I'VE BEEN HAVING CONVERSATIONS WITH SOME OF OUR STATEWIDE ELECTED OFFICIALS AND THEY'RE ON BOARD TOO BECAUSE I THINK THAT IT HAS BEEN KIND OF THE PAIN IN RESIDENTS' SIDE FOR YEARS. I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS YOU SEE OUT THERE AND I'M ON BANDERA ROAD ALL THE TIME TO GO TO NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION MEETINGS, IS PEOPLE ARE SO FRUSTRATED WITH THE LIGHTS THAT IT CAUSES AGGRESSIVE DRIVING AND YOU HAVE ALL THE TRUCKS TRYING TO TAKE LIGHTS AND ACCIDENTS HAPPEN AND THEN YOU'RE STUCK FOREVER. I KNOW YOU KNOW THIS.
ANY WAY I COULD PUT FIRE UNDER THE BUTT LET ME KNOW BECAUSE WE'RE ALL IN ON
THIS. >> THAT SOUNDS GOOD. WE NEED THE SUPPORT AND
WE'LL CONTINUE MOVING FORWARD. >> THANKS, CLAYTON.
>> YOU BET. >> THANK YOU, COUNCILWOMAN. ANYONE ELSE LIKE TO ASK
QUESTIONS? OKAY, COUNCILMAN. >> THANK YOU, CHAIR.
I DO APPRECIATE YOU FOR BEING HERE. I THINK SINCE I'VE BEEN ON THE COMMITTEE AT THE START OF THE NEW YEAR I HAVEN'T GOTTEN A PRESENTATION FROM TXDOT. SO I APPRECIATE IT. I WOULD ENCOURAGE MORE OF THOSE. I THINK IT FEELS LIKE IN THE CITY THERE'S JUST EVERYTHING THAT COULD POSSIBLY BE UNDER CONSTRUCTION IS UNDER CONSTRUCTION OR IS ABOUT TO BE UNDER CONSTRUCTION. IT'S NOT ALL FROM THE CITY. SOME OF IT IS OTHER ENTITIES. JUST FOR BEFORE I FORGET I WOULD LIKE TO REQUEST THAT WE GET UNION PACIFIC OUT HERE ONE OF THESE DAYS. I'LL SAY THAT HIG HIGHWAYS ARE -- HISTORICALLY HIGHWAYS HAVE BEEN DESTRUCTIVE TO COMMUNITIES AND SO I WANT TO NAME THAT. AND WHEN I'M LOOKING AT THESE I'M THINKING OF HOW CAN WE MAKE -- IF A PROJECT IS GOING TO HAPPEN AND WE'LL BE ADDING MORE NAMES AND EXPANDING THE FOOTPRINT OF OUR HIGHWAYS, HOW DO WE GET STRONGER BENEFIT OUT OF THEM? SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I DIDN'T SEE HERE THAT I'VE SEEN IN OUR CITIES HAS BEEN LIKE VEGETATION BARRIERS. SO MY HOPE WOULD BE THAT, ONE, BECAUSE THEY HELP WITH THE POLLUTION THAT INCREASE TRAFFIC CAUSES.
THEY ALSO SERVE AS A TRAFFIC-CALMING SOLUTION IN SOME INSTANCES.
I'M HOPEFUL THAT WITHIN SOME OF THE DESIGNS THERE'S ROOM TO ADD VEGETATION BARRIERS AND THINGS OF THE LIKE. IS THAT SOMETHING THAT CAN BE DONE?
>> WHAT WE TRY TO DO IS WE'LL FOLLOW UP OUR PROJECTS AND USE 410/I-10 INTERCHANGE AS AN EXAMPLE. WE'VE GONE OUT DIFFERENT TIMES.
WE FOLLOW UP WITH A LANDSCAPE PROJECT. WE GET THESE GREEN RIBBON FUNDS FROM THE FEDS AND YOU GO AHEAD AND OPTIMIZE WHAT ROOM YOU HAVE AVAILABLE.
SOMETIMES IT'S HARD TO JUSTIFY BUYING OUT BUSINESSES OR REAL HOMES TO PUT IN SOME VEGETATION, IF THAT MAKES SENSEMENT RIGHT NOW WE'RE IN A REAL QUANDARY WITH THE VEGETATION BECAUSE WE'RE GETTING REQUESTS TO TAKE IT OUT BECAUSE OF THE HOMELESS ISSUES AND THOSE CHALLENGES RIGHT NOW. SO WE'RE TRYING TO BALANCE SOME OF THAT, BUT AT THE SAME TIME THERE ARE CITIES THAT WORK WITH US AND AS WE'RE DONE WITH THE PROJECTS OR WITH IT, THEY'LL PUT THE FUNDING TO DO SOME OF THAT VEGETATION THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT. SOME OF IT IS THEY WILL AS A DEVELOPMENT COMES IN THEY'LL HAVE LIKE LANDSCAPE BUFFER IN FEE OR SOMETHING TO THAT EFFECT. SOMETIMES THERE ARE OPPORTUNITIES WHERE IT'S KIND OF ON THE DEVELOPMENT SIDE IN CONJUNCTION WITH OUR PROJECTS THAT KIND OF HELP, BUT WE DO TRY. AND EVERY OPPORTUNITY WE GET FOR SOME OF THOSE GREEN
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RIBBON FUNDS WE ALWAYS TRY TO IMPLEMENT AND UTILIZE THEM BECAUSE THEY'RE OPTIONAL, BUT WE TRY TO GET AS MUCH AS WE CAN EVERY YEAR.>> I'LL ASK PRIMARILY FOR THE REMOVAL OF VEGETATION, WHO MAKES THOSE REQUESTS MOST OFTEN? IS IT COMMUNITY MEMBERS OR IS IT ELECTED OFFICIALS?
I'M INTERESTED IF IT'S ELECTED OFFICIALS. >> BOTH, BOTH.
IT'S NOT SOMETHING WE TRY TO DO BECAUSE IT TAKES AWAY OUR RESOURCES FROM OTHER THINGS. BUT IT'S -- WE GET AN EXORBITANT AMOUNT OF REQUESTS FOR THEM NOW IN THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS AND IT EATS UP A LOT OF TIME FROM OUR FOLKS. BUT YOU'VE SEEN SOME OF THEM OUT THERE THAT HAVE BEEN
REMOVED. >> I HEAR YOU. AND I'M THINKING THE CHALLENGE THAT I HAVE NOW HEARING THAT, RIGHT, IS THAT WE HAVE TO -- WHEN WE'RE MAKING OUR DECISIONS AND WE'RE LISTENING TO COMMUNITY REQUESTS, WE SOMETIMES HAVE TO EVALUATE THE NATURE OF THE REQUEST. IF VEGETATION IS BEING ASKED TO BE REMOVED BECAUSE THERE'S FOLKS -- THERE'S UNSHELTERED PEOPLE RESIDING UNDERNEATH THEM, IS IT THAT THE REMOVAL OF VEGETATION IS THE ATTENDANCE THAT BECAUSE WE'RE SOMEHOW EXPECTING THE PEOPLE WHO ARE THERE ARE NO LONGER GOING TO -- LIKE THAT'S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN. SO I THINK-- I WANT TO BE A PARTNER AND I DON'T WANT TO SEE THINGS HAPPEN LIKE THAT. IF THERE ARE THINGS IN MY
DISTRICT, I WOULD LOVE TO BE A PART OF -- >> THAT'S GOOD FEEDBACK.
I'LL GIVE OUR MAINTENANCE FOLKS THAT DO THOSE -- WE'VE ENGAGED IN SOME OF THOSE AND IT'S HARD. THEY'RE TOUGH CONVERSATIONS.
SOMETIMES I GET A LOT OF THE COMPLAINTS MYSELF BECAUSE MY NAME IS ON OUR WEBSITE TOO
MUCH. SO I HEAR THEM FIRSTHAND. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: MINE IS TOO! [LAUGHTER]. I'LL SWITCH OVER.
I THINK I MIGHT HAVE HEARD THIS QUESTION, BUT I'M NOT SURE THAT I NECESSARILY GOT THE ANSWER I WAS LOOKING FOR. I KNOW THAT THESE PROJECTS THAT -- AT LEAST ONE OF THE PROJECTS WAS STARTING THAT HAS NOT YET STARTED BUT HAS BEEN IN THE PLANNING AND STUDYING PROCESS SINCE 1995.
I WAS IN THE PLANNING PROCESS IN 1995. [LAUGHTER].
I'M CURIOUS HOW -- WHAT I WOULD BE INTERESTED TO KNOW IS HOW DOES TXDOT DETERMINE PROJECT PRIORITIES? IS THERE AN INDEX MANAGEMENT OF TRAFFIC IN ALL AREAS ACROSS TOWN? ARE SOME PROJECTS AS A RESULT OF CONSTITUENT FEEDBACK AND IS EQUITY INCORPORATED? I GUESS MAYBE WALK THROUGH
HOW A PRIORITY IS DEVELOPED. >> YEAH, THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION. IT'S A COLLABORATIVE EFFORT.
SO THE NPO AND GOING THROUGH THE NPO PROCESS YOU DEVELOP WHAT ARE THE PRIORITIES BASED OFF OF CONGESTION, MOBILITY NEEDS, SAFETY, THESE BIGGER PROJECTS.
FOCUSING ON STUFF THAT'S NOT LIKE A LITTLE ARTERIAL STREET THERE, EXTENDING MORE OF THE FREEWAY TYPE STUFF. YOU'RE TRYING TO KEEP THE MOBILITY GOING.
THAT'S USUALLY THE EASIEST WAY IN THE METRICS IS THE RELIABILITY OF SAY 410 OR 35. RELIEF OF THE CONGESTION. SO YOU FOCUS ON THOSE KIND OF FACTORS AS YOUR MEASURE OF EFFECTIVENESS, RIGHT? SO YOU CAN LOOK AT ALL OF THOSE AND GO BASED OFF OF TRAFFIC MODELS BASICALLY PREDICTING THE GROWTH THAT'S OCCURRING ON THEM. SO THAT'S KIND OF THE STARTING POINT, IDENTIFICATION THAT YOU CAN MEASURE CRASHES. THE SAFETY IS A KEY ELEMENT THAT KIND OF PLAYS INTO IT. THE OTHER THING IS, AND I KIND OF TOUCHED ON IT WITH SOME OF THE THINGS ON THE SOUTHEAST SIDE, U.S. 90 THAT STRETCH THAT HASN'T BEEN TOUCHED IN YEARS. THERE ARE SOME NEEDS. IT NEEDS TO BE MODERNIZED.
YOU TALK ABOUT EQUITY, YOU TALK ABOUT EQUITABLE THING, THAT JUMPS OUT AS A NEED IN AN AREA THAT BADLY NEEDED LIGHTING. IT NEEDED A PEDESTRIAN OVERPASS BRIDGE. WE BATTLED THE PEDESTRIAN CROSSINGS, THE FATALITIES OF PEDESTRIANS ON THAT STRETCH. IF YOU GO DOWN MARBAUCH YOU SEE WE'VE DONE DIFFERENT THINGS. WE'VE DONE FENCES.
WE'VE DONE ANYTHING WE CAN TO TRY TO DETER AND ENCOURAGE THEIR CROSSING IN OTHER AREAS. SO THERE ARE SOME NEEDS OUT THERE FROM A PEDESTRIAN STANDPOINT THAT YOU'VE SEEN THE SIDEWALKS WE'VE BUILT. WE'VE LIT UNDER MILITARY DRIVE. YOU KIND OF IDENTIFY THINGS BASED OFF OF NEEDS IDENTIFIED AND MEASURABLE STUFF BUT IT ALL KIND OF VARIES, BUT THE EQUITY PART IS SOMETHING THAT I THINK HAS COME -- IS IMPORTANT AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE DEFINITELY TAKE INTO ACCOUNT ON HEY, THAT'S WHY EVERY PROJECT IT WASN'T ALL THE NORTHSIDE. I THINK YOU SAW THAT FOCUS 10 YEARS AGO, WHERE WAS ALL THE GROWTH? IT WAS NORTHSIDE. YOU SAW A LOT OF PROJECTS IN ONE AREA. I THINK WHEN WE CONCENTRATE ON THINGS.
YOU LOOK AT THE WESTSIDE, THAT U.S. 90 IS A GREAT EXAMPLE.
IT JUST LINGERED FOR TOO LONG AND NOW WE FINALLY HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO KIND OF
REVITALIZE IT IF YOU WILL. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: THANK YOU.
THANK YOU, CHAIR. >> COURAGE: THANK YOU, COUNCIL MEMBER.
COUNCILWOMAN? >> GOOD MORNING. >> GOOD MORNING.
[01:00:07]
>> I JUST HAVE A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS. FIRST, THERE IS AN EXIT OFF OF 35 GOING WEST BROOKLYN THAT'S BEEN SHUT DOWN BECAUSE OF THE FIRES THAT WERE HAPPENING UNDER. DO YOU HAVE AN UPDATE ON THAT BY ANY CHANCE?
>> YEAH. THAT ONE IS A CHALLENGING ONE.
SO WE HAD AN INDIVIDUAL INSIDE OF THE BRIDGE. THEY'RE HOLILY.
LIKE IF YOU -- IF YOUR NOT AWARE WHEN YOU DRIVE UNDER THOSE SEGMENTALES, IF YOU GOT IN ONE YOU COULD GO FOR MILES. FORTUNATELY IN THAT ONE IT WAS CONFINED TO A SHORT STRETCH, BUT IT DID DAMAGE THAT BRIDGE.
IT HAS TO BE REMOVED. THE FIRE DAMAGE WAS SO BAD IN THERE.
WE'RE WORKING ON A PROJECT FOR THIS SUMMER TO COME IN AND WE'RE HOPING TO PUT RETAINING WALLS THERE AND BE ABLE TO OPEN THE EXIT BACK UP.
>> SO WE'RE LOOKING AT NEXT SUMMER? >> TO TRY TO -- AT LEAST TO
GET THE CONSTRUCTION GOING. >> SORRY. BUT IS THE SHORT-TERM
SOLUTION THE RETAINING WALL? >> IT WILL STAY CLOSED, YEAH. IT WILL STAY CLOSED. YOU CAN'T ALLOW TRAFFIC TO
DRIVE ON IT. >> OKAY. >> CLOSED UNTIL AT LEAST
NEXT SUMMER. >> AT LEAST A YEAR FROM NOW, YEAH.
>> THAT'S CRAZY. >> YEAH. SO WE'RE ANALYZING THE TRAFFIC RIGHT NOW AND IT ACTUALLY HAS HELPED THE TRAFFIC, IT'S CUT DOWN ON WEEDING ON THAT TRAFFIC SO IT'S HELPED ON THAT MAIN LANE TRAFFIC BY HAVING THAT EXIT CLOSED. BUT WE'RE TRYING TO CAPTURE TO WHERE FOLKS ARE DIVERTING TO RIGHT NOW. WE'VE BEEN VISITING WITH FOLKS IN THAT COMMUNITY THERE IN THE NORTH -- THE NORTHSIDE. SO IT'S BEEN KIND OF INTERESTING, KIND OF SEEING HOW FOLKS HAVE ADJUSTED OR NOT ADJUSTED TO IT.
>> YEAH. I'D BE HAPPY TO DO A COMMUNITY MEETING TOGETHER, HAVE A NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION, BECAUSE I KNOW THAT NEIGHBORHOOD IS THE ONE SPECIFICALLY THAT'S BEEN MOST AFFECTED. I'M HAPPY TO DO THAT.
>> THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION. BUT YEAH, THE GOAL IS TO HAVE IT UNDER CONSTRUCTION A YEAR FROM NOW. IT JUST TAKES SOME TIME REMOVING THAT STRUCTURE BECAUSE OF HOW THE CABLES. IT'S PRETTY COMPLICATED FOR ONE STRETCH.
>> AND THEN WE'RE ABOUT TO HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT BIKE LANES.
DO YOU DO ANYTHING TO SUPPORT BIKE LANES LIKE WHEN YOU DO YOUR SMALLER
PROJECTS? >> GREAT QUESTION. I WOULD SAY ALMOST EVERY PROJECT THAT WE DO WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE 35 PROJECT HAS EITHER SHARED USE PATHS ON IT OR SOME TYPE OF BICYCLE ACCOMMODATION, BIKE LANES OR SID SIDEWALKS. IT'S BASICALLY ALMOST LIKE A BAKED INTO DESIGN AND THE PROJECT DEVELOPMENT. IT'S ALMOST LIKE IT'S MORE OF AN EXCEPTION IF WE DON'T, IF THAT MAKES SENSE. IT'S BECOMING MORE OF THAT NORM.
1604 WE'RE TRYING TO DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO PUT SHARED USE PATHS ON THAT
SIDE FROM I-10 ALL THE WAY TO 35. >> AND THEN ON 410, A COUPLE OF ISSUES ON 410 BETWEEN I-10 AND 281. YOU MENTIONED ONE OF THEM, THAT BRIDGE THAT'S CLOSED NOW SO YOU CAN'T PASS THROUGH.
THAT'S GOING TO BE FOR [INDISCERNIBLE]. >> 410.
>> AT MCCOLLOUGH. >> YES. >> IT WILL STAY OPEN.
IF YOU'RE COMING FROM THE MILE SIDE YOU WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO LEAVE THE M MALL AND GO INTO THAT AREA. YOU COULD GO TO JONES MALTS BURGER AND GO TO THE
NEIGHBORHOOD THEREMENT. >> THAT WILL BE FOREVER THE ROUTE THERE NOW?
>> YES. >> AND THEN ALONG THAT SAME SET OF STREET, SOME OF THE CALLS -- WE ACTUALLY JUST DID A DRIVE-BY THERE FROM YESTERDAY IS A LOT OF THE HOMELESSNESS ENCAMPMENTS THAT ARE UP THERE AND THEY'RE LIKE NUDGED IN BETWEEN THE -- YES. WHAT ARE YOU ALL DOING TO SUPPORT OR WHAT IS Y'ALL'S
PROCESS LOOK LIKE FOR THAT? >> SO A LOT OF THAT WE WORK WITH -- I THINK IT'S HUMAN HEALTH SERVICES. SO OUR FOLKS CAN GO OUT THERE WITHOUT THEM.
BECAUSE THEY HELP WITH THE HUMAN ASPECT OF IT AND THEN WE'RE THERE -- OUR FOLKS, THEY CLEANED UP ONE OF THEM IN THAT AREA AND THEY SHOWED PICTURES BECAUSE THEY DO A BEFORE, THEY'LL SHOW PICTURES, PUT THEM IN A DUMPSTER, GET EVERYTHING HAULED OFF, GO OUT TWO DAYS LATER AND WE HAVE PICTURES AND THEN THEY'VE GOT -- THEY'RE ALL -- IT'S ALL BACK. AND IT'S BACK TO ALMOST HOW IT WAS PRIOR TO. IT'S A TOUGH, CHALLENGING EFFORT, BUT WE DO IT IN
COORDINATION WITH THEM. >> OKAY. JUST LIKE MAYBE ALSO WHEN WE WERE WALKING OVER THERE YESTERDAY THERE WAS SO MUCH TRASH THAT'S JUST LIKE GLASS AND STUFF. SO WHEN YOU GUYS DO CLEAN UP, MAKING SURE WE'RE GETTING ALL THE REST OF THE TRASH I THINK WOULD BE REALLY HELPFUL TOO.
>> YES. WE CAN GET EVERYTHING EXCEPT FOR THE NEEDLES.
AND THOSE OTHER ELEMENTS, THAT ACTUALLY BECOMES MORE COMPLICATED.
OUR FOLKS CANNOT -- THEY'RE NOT GOING TO PICK THAT UP. WE HAVE TO GET AN
[01:05:02]
ENVIRONMENTAL -- WHEY IF IT'S LIKE BROKEN GLASS? >> IT ALL DEPENDS.
IT ALL DEPENDS. WE SHOULD BE TRYING TO GET AS MUCH OF THAT AS WE CAN.
IF THERE'S A SPECIFIC AREA JUST LET ME KNOW BECAUSE THERE ARE SOME CHALLENGES.
I THINK THAT'S WHERE WE HAD SOME IN THERE IN SOME OF THE VEGETATION THAT WAS PRETTY
BAD. >> SORRY, YOU JUST -- I WAS THINKING OF VEGETATION LIKE OVERGROWN GRASS. IS THAT WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT?
>> NO. LIKE WE'LL PLANT -- WE CALL THEM MASS PLANTING SO IT WILL BE A TALLER TREE IN THE MIDDLE. WE'VE SEEN SOME -- THEY'RE SELF-STAINING TO WHERE YOU DON'T NEED IRRIGATION OR A WATER SYSTEM.
SO GOING BACK 10 YEARS AGO INSTITUTION ALL OF OUR LANDSCAPING BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE MONEY OR FUNDING TO ACTUALLY MAINTAIN THEM. YOU DO THESE MASS PLANTINGS WHICH ARE MORE NATIVE TYPE STUFF THAT WILL BE MORE DROUGHT RESISTANT, VERY TOLERANT. IT'S WHERE THE HOMELESS COME INTO THAT WE GET THE REQUEST
TO TAKE THEM OUT. >> AND JUST FOR REGULAR MAINTENANCE FOR TRASH PICKUP DO YOU HAVE A CYCLE YOU'RE GOING ON FOR ALL OF THE HIGHWAYS THAT YOU'RE JUST
CLEANING UP FOR TRASH? >> IT IS. >> DO YOU TAKE REQUESTS IF
WE SEE AN AREA SPECIFICALLY THAT NEEDS TO BE LOOKED AT? >> SURE.
>> OKAY. AND ALSO ONE OF THE POINTS THAT YOU MADE WAS ON THE 410 AND 281 EXIT AT SAN PAID DEATH ROW THAT THAT WAS ONE OF THE HIGHEST ACCIDENT AREAS NOW BUT THAT ISN'T STARTING UNTIL 2026. IS THAT A FUNDING ISSUE?
WHAT'S THE CHALLENGE THERE? >> THE CHALLENGE IS THE RIGHT-OF-WAY.
WE'RE TRYING THE RIGHT-OF-WAY SO WE HAVE TO ACQUIRE PARKING SPOTS FROM FRONT OF SOME OF THOSE HOTELS. WE'RE PAYING FROM THE CHICK-FIL-A AT MCCOLLOUGH. WE GET MORE COMPLAINTS ABOUT THAT CHICK-FIL-A WITH THE TRAFFIC BACKING UP THROUGH THAT INTERSECTION. SO THAT HAS BEEN A CHALLENGE TRYING TO GET THAT BECAUSE WE'RE RECONFIGURING THEIR DRIVEWAY AND THEIR WHOLE CIRCULATION. WE'RE BUYING FROM A COUPLE OF RESTAURANTS ON THE OTHER SIDE. WHEN WE ACQUIRE THE RIGHT-OF-WAY THE OTHER ISSUE THAT POPS UP IS THERE ARE UTILITIES IN THERE, WATER LINES OR SEWER LINES.
THEY'VE GOT TO MOVE INTO THAT AND THAT TAKES A LONG TIME.
SO THAT'S KIND OF WHERE WE'RE AT. IT'S REALLY JUST THAT PART
I THINK THOSE ARE ALL MY QUESTIONS. THANK YOU, CHAIR.
>> COURAGE: THANK YOU. YOU KNOW, YOU JUST MENTIONED RIGHT-OF-WAY.
WHAT IS YOUR PROCESS FOR OBTAINING RIGHT-OF-WAY? >> THE PROCESS WE HAVE TO FOLLOW THE FEDERAL REQUIREMENTS, WHICH IS THE UNIFORM ACT.
AND SO THE WAY IT WORKS IS WE GET AN INDEPENDENT APPRAISER AND THEY TAKE REAL MARKET VALUES AND THEY WILL GO AND DEVELOP AN APPRAISAL FOR THE VALUE OF THE RAW LAND FOR THE PROPERTY OWNERS. SO IT'S BASICALLY THREE PHASES. RAW LAND VALUE. THEN THEY'LL GO WHAT I AM IMPROVEMENTS ARE THERE? DO THEY HAVE A TREE? DO THEY HAVE A FENCE, A DRIVEWAY? WHAT IMPROVEMENTS DO THEY HAVE?
>> PARKING SPOTS, BUILDINGS? >> YEAH.
THEY'LL PUT A DOLLAR AMOUNT ON THAT. AND THE LAST THING IS KIND OF WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO MAKE THEM WHOLE AGAIN? AFTER YOU BUY THIS 20-FOOT STRIP YOU NEED TO PAY THEM TO REMOVE THEIR TREE OR REMOVE THE FENCE, REMOVE THEIR GATE, REMOVE THEIR PARKING AND REBUILD IT. SO IT'S KIND OF THREE PHASES AND THAT COMES INTO ONE CHECK. SO THAT WE'RE ALLOWED TO GO TO THE PROPERTY OWNER AND GIVE THEM THAT OFFER AND THEY CAN COUNTER IT AND THEN WE'RE ALLOWED TO DO ONE COUNTEROFFER AND THAT'S IT. WE CAN EITHER ACCEPT IT OR DENY IT THE AND IF WE DENY IT THEN WE HAVE TO GO TO EMINENT DOMAIN.
>> YOU CAN USE THE POWER OF EMINENT DOMAIN. >> THAT'S THE LAST REPORT.
>> DO YOU DO THAT IN COOPERATION WITH LIKE THE CITY INVOLVED OR DO YOU JUST
HAVE THE AUTHORITY YOURSELVES? >> NO.
IT GOES TO THE COUNTY SO THE COUNTY JUDGE APPOINTS A COMMISSIONERS' COURT SO THERE WILL BE AN APPOINTED COMMISSIONERS' COURT BY THE COUNTY JUDGE OF THREE COMMISSIONERS AND THEN SO IF THE PROPERTY OWNER HAS THEIR REPRESENTATION THERE AND OURS WILL BE AN OGC. USUALLY THEY'RE RESOLVED THEM.
USUALLY THE PROPERTY OWNERS ARE NOT HAPPY. THE BUSINESSES THAT FIGHT IT IT WILL END UP IN A JURY TRIAL BUT THOSE ARE FEW AND FAR BETWEEN.
RIGHT NOW THE ONES THAT GO TO EMINENT DOMAIN ARE 50% OF OUR RIGHT OF ACQUISITION.
AND IT'S LIKE 85 TO 90% ARE BUSINESSES. WHEN IT'S A PRIVATE CITIZEN IT'S LESS THAN THAT. I THINK IT'S ONLY LIKE 10% GO TO EMINENT DOMAIN.
>> RIGHT. I HEARD ONE OF MY COLLEAGUES TALK ABOUT CLEANING UP THE HIGHWAY. I KNOW IT'S NOT YOUR DEPARTMENT, BUT YOU CAN TELL THEM THAT YOU'RE HEARING FROM COUNCIL MEMBERS ABOUT HOW BAD THE ROADS LOOK.
AND I SAY THAT BECAUSE PEOPLE SAY THAT TO ME. AND WHEN THEY SAY SAN ANTONIO IS JUST DIRTY, THEY SAY THE STREETS ARE -- I SAY WELL, WHAT STREETS ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT? IS IT YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD? OH, IT'S THE HIGHWAYS, THE ROADWAYS. SO I'M SORRY IF THAT MAKES YOU FEEL UNCOMFORTABLE, BUT I HEAR THAT ALL THE TIME. AND SO I DON'T -- AND I IMAGINE THE MONEY HAS TO GO TO CONSTRUCTION. AND TO MAKE SURE THAT THE STREETS ARE SAFE, ET CETERA. BUT I THINK THAT TXDOT NEEDS TO DO MORE TO MAKE PEOPLE
[01:10:04]
FEEL LIKE WE'VE GOT ROADS THAT WE CAN BE PROUD OF, NOT BECAUSE YOU CAN DRIVE ON THEM AND GET TO WHERE YOU WANT TO GO, BUT BECAUSE THEY LOOK CLEAN.YOU FEEL BETTER ABOUT THE QUALITY OF THE ROADS YOU'RE DRIVING ON WHEN WE DO THAT.
SO I JUST WANT TO THROW THAT OUT THERE AS SOMETHING THAT I HEAR AND I IMAGINE THE
REST OF US HEAR TOO. >> NO, IT'S GOOD. IT'S GOOD FEEDBACK BECAUSE I DEFINITELY WILL SHARE THAT. SOMETHING ELSE [INDISCERNIBLE].
THE AGREEMENT IS WITH THE DIFFERENT MUNICIPALITIES, RIGHT? SO EVERYTHING FROM THE CURB OUT, IS A MUNICIPALITY WHERE THERE'S THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, LEON VALLEY AND ALL THE COMMUNITIES TO EXPAND THAT.
AND WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT CURB OUTINJURY TALKING ABOUT THE CURB OF THE ACCESS ROAD
OUT. >> RIGHT. OUR CHALLENGES ARE ALL THE -- EVERYTHING THAT'S HAPPENING ON THE LANES AND GETTING FOLKS OUT THERE TO GET IT PICKED UP AND THEN THAT GRASSY AREA BETWEEN THE MAIN LANES AND THE FRONTAGE
ROADS IT SEEMS TO COLLECT EVERYTHING. >> YEAH, THAT'S TRUE.
>> COURAGE: OKAY. I DON'T KNOW THAT WE HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS.
I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR PRESENTATION. I THINK YOU GAVE US A LOT OF INFORMATION. ROD, IS THERE ANYTHING YOU CAN THINK OF? OKAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. APPRECIATE IT.
PRIORITIES. APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY. >> COURAGE: ALL RIGHT.
NOW WE'LL GO TO THE SECOND ITEM, AND I DON'T HAVE IT ON MY SCREEN.
LET ME SEE. ITEM NUMBER 3 IS A BRIEFING ON A PLANNING GRANT APPLICATION FOR RECONNECTING COMMUNITIES, WHICH GOES EXACTLY ALONG THE LINES THAT YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT, COUNCILMAN, ABOUT HOW OUR COMMUNITIES GET DISCONNECTED. AND HERE'S SOME IDEAS ON HOW WE CAN RECONNECT THEM A
LITTLE BIT. >> GREAT. GOOD MORNING.
I AM HERE ON BEHALF OF THE RGR DEPARTMENT, WHICH IS LED BY SALLY BASURTO AND THEN MYSELF. WE ARE WORKING ON SUBMITTING A PLANNING GRANT THAT WILL ADDRESS ONE OF THE ISSUES WE'VE DISCUSSED ABOUT FOR YEARS AND THAT IS HOW WE CAN BETTER CONNECT DOWNTOWN TO THE EASTSIDE, SPECIFICALLY HOW WE CAN COME UP WITH SOLUTIONS ON THE BARRIER THAT WAS CREATED WHEN IH-37 WAS CREATED THAT REALLY DISCONNECTED THAT NEIGHBORHOOD FROM SAN ANTONIO.
AND SO THERE IS A PLANNING GRANT THAT IS AVAILABLE FOR COMMUNICATION AND THAT IS THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND CONNECTING COMMUNITIES PROGRAM GRANT.
IT PRIORITIZES DISADVANTAGED COMMUNITIES, AIMS TO PROVIDE ACCESS TO JOBS, EDUCATION, HEALTH CARE, FOOD AND RECREATION, FOSTERS EQUITABLE DEVELOPMENT AND RESTORATION, AND IT AIMS TO RECONNECT COMMUNITIES BY REMOVING, RETROFITTING OR MITIGATING HIGHWAYS OR OTHER TRANSPORTATION FACILITIES THAT CREATE BARRIERS TO COMMUNITY CONNECTIVITY, INCLUDING MOBILITY, ACCESS OR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
THEY HAVE ALLOTTED $185 MILLION FOR THIS GRANT APPLICATION.
AND THE MATCH REQUIREMENT IS 20%, AND IT IS DUE THIS THURSDAY.
NOW, WHAT WE ARE DOING IS WE ARE APPLYING FOR THE PLANNING PORTION OF THIS.
THIS WILL ALLOW US TO REALLY UNDERSTAND WHAT DOES THE COMMUNITY WANT? THERE'S A MAJOR FOCUS ON ENGAGEMENT ACTIVITIES, AND WE WOULD CREATE AN OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE THAT WOULD INCLUDE THE NEIGHBORHOOD LEADERSHIP, DISTRICT 2 COUNCIL OFFICE, THE MAJOR STAKEHOLDERS WITHIN THAT AREA, WITH A PRIMARY FOCUS ON THE NEIGHBORHOODS AND THEN HEMISFAIR PARK REDEVELOPMENT CORPORATION.
SO THAT WOULD BE AN OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE WE WOULD CREATE IF WE ARE AWARDED THIS PROJECT. BUT THE GOAL OF THE PROJECT IS TO REALLY DEVELOP ALTERNATIVES THAT WE COULD SUBMIT FOR ACTUAL CONSTRUCTION AFTER WE GO THROUGH THIS MAJOR PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT PROCESS. IT ALSO ALLOWS US TO DO ENGINEERING AND PLANNING STUDIES THAT WOULD SUPPORT THE ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW FOR OUR CONSTRUCTION PROJECT. SO WHAT WE WOULD BE DOING IS REALLY ASKING FOR 2.96 MILLION FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, AND WHAT THAT WOULD DO IS IT WOULD FUND A STRATEGIC PLAN, ONCE AGAIN LED BY THE COMMUNITY. IT WOULD FUND A PUBLIC OUTREACH CAMPAIGN. AND THEN DEVELOP A CONCEPTUAL DESIGN.
THAT WOULD BE USED TO SUBMIT FOR AN ACTUAL CONSTRUCTION GRANT TO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT THAT WOULD ALLOW US TO ACTUALLY MAKE THAT CONCEPTUAL DESIGN THAT'S
[01:15:02]
BEEN DEVELOPED BY THE COMMUNITY AND SUPPORTED BY OUR COUNCIL A REALITY.SO THE OVERALL GOAL IS TO REALLY COME UP WITH ALTERNATIVES, TWO OR THREE, THAT WE WOULD BE STUDYING. AND THEN DEVELOPING AND MAKING A RECOMMENDATION ON WHICH ONE WE'D WANT TO PRESENT FOR ACTUAL CONSTRUCTION COMPLETION IN THE NEXT FUNDING ROUND FOR THIS GRANT. THE PARTNERSHIPS AND SUPPORT WE ARE LOOKING AT GETTING LETTERS OF SUPPORT RIGHT NOW SINCE IT'S MAINLY JUST SUPPORT FOR ACTUAL SUBMITTING THIS GRANT. IT'S FROM THE LANDOWNERS.
SO THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO. IT WOULD BE VIA. IT WOULD BE HEMISFAIR AND THEN IT WOULD BE UTSA. THOSE ARE THE LANDOWNERS THAT WERE ASKING FOR SUPPORT. AND THEN OTHER PARTNERSHIPS FOR THE ACTUAL APPLICATION OF THIS GRANT WOULD BE THOSE THAT CAN HELP US WITH ADVOCACY EFFORTS AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL. NOW, IF WE RECEIVE THIS GRANT WHAT WE'LL DO IS WE'LL COME TO COUNCIL. WE WILL ASK FOR ACCEPTANCE OF THIS GRANT.
WE WILL ALLOCATE THE 20% MATCH. AND THEN WE WILL START THE PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT PROCESS FOR THE STRATEGIC PLANNING AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF THOSE CONCEPTUAL DESIGNS. SO I WANT TO STRESS HERE IN THE VERY EARLY STAGES.
WE'VE IDENTIFIED THAT WE WANT TO DEVELOP ALTERNATIVES TO HELP RECONNECT DOWNTOWN IN THE NEAR EASTSIDE BY MINIMIZING OUR RETROFITTING THAT BARRIER WHICH IS II-37, AND WE WOULD DO THAT THROUGH THAT COMMUNITY PLANNING PROCESS, THAT STRATEGIC PLAN, AND THE DEVELOPMENT AFTER CONCEPTUAL PLAN. AND ONCE WE'VE IDENTIFIED THAT WE'D COME BACK TO THIS COMMITTEE TO BRIEF THEM ON THE NEXT GRANT WE'D BE APPLYING FOR, WHICH WOULD BE A CONSTRUCTION GRANT FOR THE ACTUAL CONSTRUCTION DOLLARS NECESSARY IN ORDER TO IMPLEMENT THAT ACTUAL CONCEPTUAL DESIGN.
SO THAT'S WHAT WE'RE ASKING FOR, ACTUALLY BRIEFING YOU ON TODAY.
WE WANT SOME FEEDBACK WITH THE UNDERSTANDING THAT WE ARE SUBMITTING FOR THE PLANNING GRANT ON THURSDAY. IT WAS A QUICK TURNAROUND. THERE WAS A COMBINATION OF TWO GRANT POTS THAT WERE PUT TOGETHER THAT WE FELT THAT WE BETTER APPLY NOW BEFORE WE LOSE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR CONSTRUCTION DOLLARS IN THE FUTURE.
ONCE AGAIN, STRESSING IT'S PLANNING ONLY. WE'LL BE LOOKING FOR FEEDBACK FROM THE COUNCIL MEMBER IF WE GET THIS GRANT ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF THAT OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE AND HOW IT'S STRUCTURED. AND THEN ONCE AGAIN, IF AWARDED WE WOULD BE DOING THE NECESSARY STUDY, STRATEGIC PLAN ON COMING UP WITH ALTERNATIVES FOR PRESENTATION TO THE PUBLIC WHICH WOULD ULTIMATELY RESULT IN ONE ALTERNATIVE THAT WE PRESENT TO -- FOR A CONSIDERATION OF A CONSTRUCTION GRANT. SO THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION.
I WANT TO ADDRESS ALL YOUR QUESTIONS. AND WE WILL ADDRESS AS MUCH FEEDBACK AS WE CAN. AS I MENTIONED, THE GRANT IS DUE THURSDAY AND WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON THIS FOR TWO WEEKS TO EVEN DECIDE IF WE'RE GOING TO BE SUBMITTING THIS, BUT WE FEEL LIKE THAT WE HAVE A REALLY GOOD SHOT GIVEN ALL THE PLANNING STUDIES THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN DONE, WHETHER IT'S THE SA TOMORROW PLAN, THE NEIGHBORHOOD PLAN, THIS IS A MAJOR BARRIER IN THE PLAN INCLUDING THE HEMISFAIR PLAN. IT'S A CONTINUATION OF PLANNING EFFORTS THAT WE'VE ALREADY DONE. SO THAT CONCLUDES MY PRESENTATION.
>> COURAGE: THANK YOU, LORI. COUNCILMAN MCKEE RODRIGUEZ.
>> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: THANK YOU FOR THE PRESENTATION. WHEN IS THE NEXT FUNDING
ROUND? >> WE DON'T KNOW YET. WHAT WE DO KNOW IS THE RECONNECTING COMMUNITIES GRANT AND WHAT'S THE OTHER ONE? NEIGHBORHOOD ACCESS GRANT. THEY ARE BEING ISSUED TOGETHER AND THEY ARE INCLUDING CONSTRUCTION DOLLARS AS WELL. IN THE RECONNECTING
COMMUNITIES GRANT HOW MUCH IS THERE FOR -- >>
>> IT'S OVER A BILLION DOLLARS FOR CONSTRUCTION FOR BOTH.
AND WHAT WE'RE CONCERNED ABOUT IS IF WE DON'T APPLY AND THERE'S MONEY LEFT OVER FOR CONSTRUCTION, WE MIGHT HAVE MISSED THAT OPPORTUNITY BECAUSE THEY WOULD PROBABLY WANT TO FUND THOSE THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN FUNDED THROUGH THE PLANNING GRANT.
SO WE DON'T HAVE THE EXACT DATE FOR THE CONSTRUCTION, BUT THIS GETS US READY FOR
WHEN THAT OCCURS. >> MAY, AS A REMINDER THIS IS A BI-YEAR GRANT CYCLE, 2022-26.
>> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: THANK YOU. I SUPPORT THE GOALS OUTLINED ON SLIDE 2. YEAH, SLIDE 2. SO LONG AS THEY'RE ACHIEVED,
[01:20:05]
RIGHT? THEY ALL SOUND GREAT AND THEY'RE IMPORTANT AND WE ALL WANT TO DO THAT. I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT THE INTENTION BECOMES THE REALITY. SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I SEE ON SLIDE 3 IS AN IMPACT ASSESSMENT. WOULD THAT LOOK SOMETHING LIKE OUR DISPLACEMENT IMPACTANALYSIS THAT WE DO FOR HOUSING PROJECTS? >> IT WOULD LOOK LIKE, YOU KNOW, AN IMPACT ASSESSMENT WOULD INCLUDE THAT. IT COULD ALSO ADDRESS THAT FOR CARS. HOW ARE WE IMPACTING TRAFFIC? BUT THIS WILL BE A DISPLACEMENT ASSESSMENT AS PART OF THIS EFFORT FOR SURE. AND THAT IS SPECIFICALLY ADDRESSED IN THE GRANT.
>> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: THANK YOU. I THINK ONE OF MY CONFLICTS -- I'M EXCITED, I'M EXTREMELY EXCITED. THE COMMUNITY WANTS INVESTMENT AND THEY WANT THE CITY TO USE ALL AVENUES THAT WE POSSIBLY CAN TO SECURE FUNDING AND TO SHOW A CLEAR INTENTION TO IMPROVE THE LIVES OF THOSE WHO LIVE ON THE EASTSIDE. WHAT THAT MEANS THEN IS THAT THERE'S GOING TO BE MAJOR CHANGES TO COMMUNITIES THAT ARE ALREADY VULNERABLE AND THIS IS NEAR A LOT OF REALLY VULNERABLE NEIGHBORHOODS THAT HAVE ALREADY EXPERIENCED GENTRIFICATION.
I JUST WANT US TO BE CAUTIOUS AND WHAT ENDS UP BEING THE REALITY FROM THE INTENT. SO I LOOK FORWARD TO BEING A PARTNER WITH YOU ON THIS.
I LOOK FORWARD TO HOPEFULLY RECEIVING THE FUNDING BECAUSE WE CAN'T MAKE ANY KIND OF POSITIVE CHANGE IF WE DON'T GET THE MONEY. SO I GUESS WHAT I WOULD THEN ASK IS WHEN WE PUT TOGETHER THE STAKEHOLDER COMMITTEE WHEN AND IF THE FUNDING IS ALLOCATED, THAT IT'S NOT LOPSIDED IN FAVOR OF FOLKS WHO STAND TO PROFIT.
I WOULD MUCH RATHER SEE A LARGER STAKEHOLDER GROUP THAT -- STAKEHOLDER GROUP THAT CONSISTS OF COMMUNITY LEADERS, RESIDENTS AND FOLKS WHO HAVE BEEN THERE FOR DECADES. I THINK THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT FOR ME.
I THINK THAT THAT -- I THINK THAT'S ABOUT IT. I'M EXCITED AND I LOOK FORWARD TO MAYBE A MORE -- WE'LL DO A ONE ON ONE OR SOME SORT OF DISCUSSION ON
THIS AS THE PROCESS CONTINUES. >> GREAT, THANK YOU,
COUNCILMAN. >> R. >> MCKEE-RODRIGUEZ: THANK
YOU. >> COURAGE: I'M CHIME IN THAT I'M SUPPORTIVE OF THIS TOO. I'VE LIVED AND WORKED ON THE EASTSIDE IN THE YEARS I'VE LIVED IN SAN ANTONIO, AND YOU KNOW WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE EASTSIDE IT'S NOT JUST DIVIDED BY 37. IT'S SEGREGATED BY I-10, 37 AND 35.
AND I DON'T KNOW IF WE CAN EVER DETERMINE HOW WE CAN RECONNECT EVEN OTHER PARTS OF THE EASTSIDE WITH PARTS OF THE SOUTHSIDE, PARTS OF THE AREAS NORTH OF DOWNTOWN, WHICH THE HIGHWAYS HAVE KIND OF DIVIDED OVER THE YEARS. SO I UNDERSTAND THIS IS A GOOD STEP AND A GOOD DIRECTION FOR THE IMMEDIATE CONNECTION TO DOWNTOWN, BUT I HOPE WE CAN FIND OTHER WAYS. I HEAR ABOUT PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN GOVERNMENT HILL HOW THEY FEEL LIKE THEY'RE DISCONNECTED FROM OLD NEIGHBORHOODS THAT USED TO BE PART OF THEIR CONCERN LIKE DINWIDDIE.
AND YOU SEE SOMETHING AROUND LIKE WHEN YOU GET AROUND LAVACA AND OTHER NEIGHBORHOODS THAT USED TO BE MORE CONNECTED TO THE EASTSIDE AND THE SOUTHSIDE, HIGHLANDS HILLS. SO IF THERE'S MORE WE CAN LOOK AT LONG-TERM, IF THERE'S OTHER FUNDING ALONG THOSE LINES I'D SURE LIKE TO SEE IT.
SO I JUST WANTED TO THROW THAT OUT THERE FOR SOME MORE THOUGHTS.
ANYBODY ELSE HAVE A CONCERN? YES, COUNCILWOMAN?
>> IF WE WERE TO RECEIVE THESE GRANTS DOES THE FUNDING GET CONTRACTED OUT
TO AN ENTITY DOING THE STRATEGIC PLANNING? >> IT WOULD BE -- WE WOULD BE WORKING WITH OUR ENGINEER OF RECORD ON THIS AND THEN WE WOULD HAVE A COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PLANWOULD IDENTIFY A PARTNER TO HELP US FACILITATE THAT.
IT'S REALLY TO HELP US WITH THE ENGINEERING STUDIES AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF THAT STRATEGIC PLAN SO WE WOULD BE HIRING A TEAM TO HELP US WITH THAT.
>> BUT THEY WOULD BE INTERNAL TO COSA. >> YES.
AND I WANT TO STRESS THIS IS COMMUNITY LED SO IT'S REALLY ABOUT GETTING THE PUBLIC ENGAGED. AND I DON'T KNOW -- I DON'T KNOW WHO WOULD HAVE BEEN THERE DURING HEMISFAIR WHEN WE DID THAT PLANNING EFFORT IN 2009.
BUT WE HAD OVER 1,000 STAKEHOLDER MEETINGS, OVER 12 PUBLIC MEETINGS WHERE THE COMMUNITY TOOK OUT MAPS, IDENTIFIED WHERE THEY WANT HOUSING.
THAT'S HOW WE CAME UP WITH THE 200 ROOM CAP FOR HOTELS BECAUSE THE COMMUNITY SAID NO TO HOTELS. WE'RE LOOKIN AT SOMETHING MASSIVE LIKE THAT WHERE THEY ARE TRULY ENGAGED. AND THEIR VOICE IS HEARD. AND WHEN THAT PLAN IS TAKEN
FORWARD FOR ADOPTION IT'S REALLY COMING FROM THEM. >> SO THE ENGINEERING WILL
BE DONE BY COSA STAFF POTENTIALLY -- >> THE ENGINEERING WOULD LIKELY BE DONE BY ONE OF OUR JOC'S OR OUR ONCALL CONTRACTORS THAT ACTUALLY
MANAGE THE TRAFFIC MODELS. >> GOT IT. AND WE WOULD CONTRACT
SOMEONE TO HELP WITH THE PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT EFFORTS. >> YES.
>> SO ECHOING SOMETIMES THAT WHEN WE DO PROJECTS LIKE THIS, MAKING SURE THAT
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CONNECTIVITY IS THERE IS REALLY IMPORTANT AND THAT WE'VE SEEN SOME EFFORTS.AND I'M GLAD WE'RE CONTRACTING A THIRD-PARTY TO DO PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT BECAUSE SOMETIMES I THINK THAT HELPS SO THEY CAN RECEIVE THE INFORMATION WITHOUT BIAS.
BUT ALSO MAKING SURE WE SEND BACK OUT TO THE COMMUNITY WHAT WE'RE HEARING.
SO WE LEARN AND THIS IS WHAT WE DID. I THINK CLOSING THE FEEDBACK LOOP. I ANOTHER WE'RE SPEAKING SUPER FAR IN ADVANCE AND THAT'S PROBABLY NOT SOMETHING THATS TO TO GO IN THE APPLICATION, BUT I
WANTED TO ECHO MY COMMENTS THERE. >> HOW MUCH DID WE BUDGET FOR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT IN THIS GRANT? I THINK I KNOW THAT.
>> >> $500,000 FOR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT, WHICH IS MORE WE DO -- IT IS A MASSIVE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT BECAUSE THE PROJECT DESERVES THAT.
IT IMPACTS SO MANY PEOPLE, MAINLY THE COMMUNITY. >> MAYBE WE COULD GET INPUT
AND FEEDBACK ON OTHER THINGS TOO. >> NO, ABSOLUTELY.
THERE ARE THINGS THAT WE COULD BE GETTING FEEDBACK -- USING THAT DATA FOR OTHER
PURPOSES, ABSOLUTELY. >> GREAT. THANKS, LORI.
>> COURAGE: I THINK YOU CAN WALK AWAY KNOWING YOU HAVE SUPPORT ON THE COMMUNITY MOVING FORWARD. THE FINAL BRIEFING WE HAVE IS A BRIEFING ON THE BIKE
NETWORK PLAN. HI, CAT, HOW ARE YOU? >> GOOD, GOOD.
HOPEFULLY MY VOICE HOLDS OUT. I WAS ONE OF THOSE YELLING AND SINGING LAST NIGHT AT A PINK CONCERT. GOOD MORNING, I'M CAT HERNANDEZ, INTERIM DIRECTOR FOR THE TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT.
AS YOU ARE AWARE, CITY COUNCIL APPROVED A CONTRACT AWARD TO UPDATE THE 12-YEAR-OLD BICYCLE MASTER PLAN. OUR UPDATED PLAN KNOWN AS THE BIKE NETWORK PLAN IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO CONTINUE WITH THE EFFORTS TO CONTINUE WITH PLANNING INITIATIVES AS MENTIONED IN THE 2016 MULTI-MODAL TRANSPORTATION PLAN. SO IN TODAY'S AGENDA WE WANTED TO RUN THROUGH THE 2011 BIKE MASTER PLAN AND ON THE BIKE NETWORK PLAN'S- PROCESS.
WE WILL COVER WHAT THE 2011 PLAN ANALYZED AND RECOMMENDED, PROVIDE A PICTURE OF WHERE WE ARE TODAY AND ASSESS THE IMPLEMENTATIONESTS OF THE 2011 PLAN. AND WE WILL FINISH WITH WHAT'S NEXT FOR OUR BIKE NETWORK PLAN. SO WHAT IS THE 2011 BIKE PLAN? THE 2011 PLAN WAS A ROADMAP. IT WAS A ROADMAP FOR THE CITY TO PLAN WHAT TYPES OF FACILITIES WE WANTED AND NEED AND WHERE THEY SHOULD BE BUILT. AND LIKE ANY PLAN IT ASSESSED OUR CURRENT STATE OF BIKE INFRASTRUCTURE, HOW TO DEVELOP A NETWORK OVER THE NEXT 10 YEARS AND A POTENTIAL IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGY. SO WHAT WAS A 2011 PLAN'S VISION? THIS SLIDE REPRESENTS WHAT THAT VISION STATEMENT IS? IT'S A FUNDAMENTAL COMPONENT OF A COMPLETE TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM.
IT'S MEANT FOR ALL AGES AND ABILITIES AND IT'S WELL DESIGNED AND SAFE.
NOT ONLY HAVE WE MADE PROGRESS TOWARDS THIS VISION, BUT IT IS STILL ACHIEVABLE. SO WHAT EXISTED BEFORE THE 2011 PLAN? SO THIS SLIDE WILL SHOW YOU WHAT THE PICTURE WAS IN 2000, 2004 AND 2009.
IN THE YEAR 2000 THERE WAS APPROXIMATELY 34 MILES OF BIKE FACILITIES ON THE ROADS. IN 2004 THAT NUMBER GREW TO 66 MILES.
AND BY 2009 WE HAD 136 MILES OF BIKE FACILITIES. AND THESE WERE BROKEN DOWN INTO THREE CATEGORIES AT THAT TIME. THERE WERE LANES WHICH ARE BIKE FACILITIES ON STREETS AND THEY HAVE STRIPING OR SEPARATION.
THERE ARE PATHS WHICH ARE BIKE FACILITIES OFF THE STREETS.
THINK OF THE GREENWAY TRAILS. AND ROUTES, WHICH ARE BIKE FACILITIES ON THE STREETS WHICH WITH NO STRIPING OR SEPARATION.
AND SO FOR SIMPLICITY WE'LL KEEP THESE THREE CATEGORIES AS WE DISCUSS -- AS WE DISCUSS THEM FURTHER. SO WHAT EXISTED IN 2011? SO THAT NUMBER GREW TO A TOTAL OF 209 MILES OF BIKE FACILITIES. THERE WERE 123 MILES OF BIKE LANES. 37 MILES OF BIKE ROUTES AND 49 MILES OF BIKE PATHS.
SO THE 2011 PLAN ALSO INCLUDED ABOUT 372 MILES OF WIDE SHOULDERS WHICH THESE ARE NOT FACILITIES WITH SIGNS, NOR WERE THEY INTENDED FOR BIKE USAGE, BUT AT THE TIME THEY WERE SUFFICIENT FOR BIKE USERS. AND WE HAVE EXCLUDED THEM FROM THIS ANALYSIS BECAUSE AGAIN THEY'RE NOT DESIGNED FOR BIKE USERS.
SO WHAT DID THE 2011 PLAN RECOMMEND? IT RECOMMENDED A TOTAL OF 1,288 MILES OF NEW BIKE FACILITIES. THEY INCLUDED 151 MILES OF ROUTES, [INDISCERNIBLE]. 228 MILES OF PATHS, AGAIN GREENWAY TRAILS, AND
[01:30:06]
999 MILES OF LANES SUCH AS BUFFERED BIKE LANES. AND THIS PLAN INCLUDED MUCH OF THE HOWARD PEAK GREENWAY NETWORK BUT NOT EVERYTHING THAT IS IMPLEMENTED TODAY.IT ALSO INCLUDED 480 MILES OF WIDE SHOULDERS WHICH I TALKED ABOUT PREVIOUSLY.
THE PLAN ALSO TOOK AN IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGY TO GET TO THE TOTAL IN PHASES.
THE PLAN PROVIDED AN IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGY FOR THE NEXT 10 YEARS TO BUILD 171 TOTAL MILES. APPROXIMATELY 74 MILES WERE RECOMMENDED AS PART OF THE TIER 1 PROJECTS WHICH WERE TO BE IMPLEMENTED BETWEEN THE YEARS OF 2012 TO 2016 AND 97 MILES AS TIER TWO PROJECTS TO BE IMPLEMENTED BETWEEN 2017 AND 2021.
SO WHAT EXISTS TODAY? AS PART OF THE CONSULTANT'S WORK THEY LOOKED AT WHAT IS EXISTING AND HOPEFULLY WE'LL BE ABLE TO LAUNCH THAT AND SHOW EVERYBODY WHAT IS EXISTING ON THE ROAD BY NOVEMBER THROUGH GIS LAYER. NOT ALL OF THESE FACILITIES WERE IMPLEMENTED AS RECOMMENDED. AND THE BIKE FACILITIES FOR THE BIKE NETWORK PLAN ALLOWED US TO REVIEW THE 2011 PLAN SUCCESSES AND MISSED OPPORTUNITIES. SO IN THE DRAFT EXISTING CONDITIONS REPORT THAT OUR CONSULTANT WORKED ON FOR THE INVENTORY FOR THE BIKE NETWORK PLAN WE FOUND THE FOLLOWING. WE FOUND APPROXIMATELY 70 MILES OF RECOMMENDED BIKE ROUTES WHICH WAS SHORT BY 81. 214 MILES OF RECOMMENDED PATHS WERE BUILT AND THAT WAS SHORT BY 14. AND APPROXIMATELY 239 MILES OF RECOMMENDED BIKE LANES WERE BUILT WHICH IS SHORT BY 670.
SO OF THE TIER 1 PROJECTS THAT WERE RECOMMENDED IN THE 2011 PLAN, 20 MILES OF THOSE WERE LANES, 37 MILES WERE ROUTES AND FIVE MILES OF PATHS WERE BUILT AND THESE PROJECTS CONTRIBUTED TO 36 TOTAL MILES OF TIER 1 PROJECTS BEING COMPLETED, WHICH MEANS THE CITY HAS IMPLEMENTED 48% OF TIER 1 RECOMMENDATIONS.
OF THE TIER TWO PROJECTS RECOMMENDED IN THE 2011 PLAN, 12 MILES WERE LANES, EIGHT MILES WERE ROUTES AND SIX MILES OF PATHS WERE BUILT.
AND THESE PROJECTS CONTRIBUTED 26 TOTAL MILES OF THE TIER TWO PROJECTS BEING COMPLETED WHICH MEANS THE CITY HAS COMPLETED 27% OF THE TIER 1 RECOMMENDATIONS. AND WHAT WAS BUILT MAY BE DIFFERENT THAN WHAT WAS RECOMMENDED DUE TO MAYBE SOME CHANGING CONDITIONS AND OTHER FACTORS.
ONE OF THOSE EXAMPLES OF WHAT WAS BUILT VERSUS WHAT WAS RECOMMENDED IS MISSION ROAD BIKE WAY. THIS WAS RECOMMENDED TO BE A SHAREHOLDER FACILITY IN THE 2011 PLAN NOT AS A TIER 1 OR TIER TWO PROJECTS. DUE TO AN ANNUAL AVERAGE DAILY TRAFFIC GREATER THAN 3,000 AND A SPEED LIMIT OF GREATER THAN 30 MILES PER HOUR, THE NACTO ALL AGES AND ABILITIES DESIGN GUIDE RECOMMENDED IT TO BE A SEPARATED FACILITY AND THAT NATIONAL BEST PRACTICE SAFE BIKE FACILITY WAS IMPLEMENTED LAST YEAR. SO HERE ARE SOME MORE EXAMPLES OF IMPLEMENTATION VARYING FROM RECOMMENDATION. SO IN DISTRICT 1 WE'RE FEATURING SOUTH ALAMO WHICH WAS A TIER 1 BIKE LANE PROJECT PARTIALLY IMPLEMENTED AS PLANNED. IT'S STILL APPROPRIATE BASED ON TXDOT ROADWAY DESIGN MANUAL. IN DISTRICT 2 WE HAVE SALLINGER STREET, THE TIER 1 PROJECT PARTLY IMPLEMENTED AS A LANE ADOPTED TO MEET HIGHER STANDARDS.
IN DISTRICT 6 WE HAVE A PROJECT IMPLEMENTED AS HA LANE BUT NO LONGER APPROPRIATE BASED ON THE TXDOT DESIGN MANUAL. ON DISTRICT 7 WE HAVE A BIKE LANE PROJECT AND NOT IMPLEMENTED AT ALL. IN DISTRICT 9 WE HAVE PARTRIDGE TRAIL IMPLEMENTED, BUFFERED BIKE LANE BUT NOT IN THE 2011 BIKE LANE RECOMMENDATIONS AS ALL. SOME ADDITIONAL EXAMPLES OF IMPLEMENTATION ARE IN THIS TABLE. YOU CAN SEE EACH DISTRICT HAS EXAMPLES WHERE FACILITIES ARE IMPLEMENTED AS RECOMMENDED, IMPLEMENTED WITH ADAPTATIONS TO THE RECOMMENDATIONS AND IMPLEMENTED, BUT NOT RECOMMENDED IN THE 2011 OR NOT IMPLEMENTED AT ALL. OF COURSE, MOST OF THE SEGMENTS REALLY NOT IMPLEMENTED FOR THE FULL LENGTH OF THE LISTED ROAD NOR ARE THE OTHER FACILITIES ALONG THESE ROADS CONNECTED THROUGH INTERSECTIONS OR ACROSS OTHER FACILITIES SO MANY OF THE FACILITIES STOP AND START WITH NO SIGNAGE AND WERE IMPLEMENTED INCOMPLETELY. THAT'S WHY A NETWORK PLAN IS ESSENTIAL BECAUSE IT'S FOCUSED ON A CONNECTED NETWORK HELPING US TO CONNECT THE THINGS THAT WERE BUILT, UPGRADE THOSE THAT WERE BUILT TO A LOWER STANDARD AND BUILD NEW CONNECTIONS TO CREATE A COHESIVE BIKE TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM.
SO WAS AN IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIC INCLUDED IN THE ORIGINAL 2011 PLAN? IT WAS. IT HAD FOUR OBJECTIVES. TO INCREASE STAFFING AND FUNDING IN APPROPRIATE AREAS OF THE CITY TO IMPLEMENT THOSE GOALS AND OBJECTIVES.
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TO INSTITUTIONALIZE BICYCLE PLANNING THROUGH NEW AND REVISED POLICIES.TO ENGAGE AND COORDINATE WITH OTHER DEPARTMENTS AND AGENCIES AND ORGANIZATIONS SO WE CAN LEVERAGE RESOURCES AND STRENGTHEN IMPLEMENTATION EFFORTS AND TO PERIODICALLY MONITOR IMPLEMENTATION PROGRESS AND UPDATE THE BIKE MASTER PLAN ON A REGULAR BASIS. BECAUSE AS WE SAW WITH THE TIER 1 AND TIER TWO PROJECTS IT WAS A 10-YEAR LIFE-SPAN. SO WAS THE FUNDING STRATEGY RECOMMENDED IN THE 2011? YES, BUT NOT FULLY APPLIED. THERE WERE FIVE RECOMMENDATIONS TO FUND IMPLEMENTATION AND THAT WAS TO PURSUE MAXIMUM AVAILABLE MATCHING FUNDS IN THE CITY BUDGETING PROCESS, INCREASE ATD FUNDING, INCORPORATE BIKE INFRASTRUCTURE IN ALL ROADWAY PROJECTS. PURSUE FUNDING PARTICIPATES WITH EXTERNAL PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS. AND INCREASE FULL-TIME STAFF DEDICATED TO BIKE PROGRAMMING. THE 23 BIKE NETWORK PLAN TEAM HAS BEEN COLLABORATED WITH PARKS, PLANNING AND PUBLIC WORKS TO PURSUE FEDERAL RAISED GRANT FUNDING TO IMPLEMENT SOME OF THE MOST NEEDED BIKE FACILITY PROJECTS.
THE PLANS FOCUSED ON EQUITY AND PUBLIC OUTREACH. SET US UP TO BE COMPETITIVE IN THESE APPLICATIONS AND GET FUNDING IN SAN ANTONIO'S INFRASTRUCTURE.
SO WERE KEY POLICIES IMPLEMENTED FROM 2011? YES, BUT ONLY PARTIALLY.
SO WE'RE CONDUCTING A POLICY REVIEW NOW, BUT AS AN EXAMPLE WE WANTED TO CALL OUT SOME OF THE GOALS ON THIS SLIDE? AGAIN, NONE OF THESE PRACTICES WERE FULLY IMPLEMENTED BUT SOME WERE IMPLEMENTED PARTIALLY.
THE BIKE NETWORK PLAN'S POLICY REVIEW WILL ANALYZE ALL LOCAL, STATE AND FEDERAL LEGISLATION IMPACTING CYCLING IN SAN ANTONIO. AND THE PLAN WILL ALSO RECOMMEND LEGISLATIVE BEST PRACTICES FOR SAFE BIKING. WERE BEST PRACTICE DESIGNS INCLUDED IN THE 2011 TIME? YES, BUT FOR THAT TIME. SO THE 2011 PLAN DID INCLUDE BEST PRACTICES BUT MANY OF THOSE OPTIONS ARE NO LONGER APPROPRIATE FOR OUR ROAD USERS. THE BIKE NETWORK PLAN TEAM HAS BEEN MEETING REGULARLY WITH OUR INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL CITY PARTNERS TO COLLABORATE AND BUILD DESIGN STANDARDS AND TYPOLOGIES THAT FIT OUR NEEDS AND ALSO ADAPT IN THE FUTURE.
SO BACK TO THE SLIDE AT THE VISION STATEMENT. YOU'LL LOOK AT THIS AND YOU'LL SEE THAT AGAIN WE HAVE THOSE OPPORTUNITIES THAT WE COULD FOCUS ON WITH THIS UPDATE. AGAIN, LOOKING AT A FUNDAMENTAL COMPONENT TO MAKE A COMPLETE TRANSFORMATION. AND LIKE JOEY HAD SPOKE ABOUT EARLIER, THIS WILL ALSO ALLOW US TO FOCUS ON THOSE ELEMENTS THAT HE BROUGHT UP, INCLUDING ALL AGES AND ABILITIES AND WELL DESIGNED AND SAFE.
SO WHAT'S NEXT FOR OUR BIKE NETWORK PLAN? THE BIKE NETWORK PLAN IS LAUNCHING ITS SECOND PHASE OF COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT THIS SATURDAY.
SO WE'LL BE ATTENDING AT LEAST ONE EVENT IN EACH COUNCIL DISTRICT TO LISTEN TO OUR RESIDENTS AND GET RESPONSES TO OUR NEW SURVEY.
THIS ROUND OF ENGAGEMENT IS FOCUSED ON HOW SAN ANTONIANS ENVISION THEIR FUTURE OF CYCLING AND WHAT SIGN TREATMENTS MAKE THEM FEEL SAFE.
AND WE ARE STILL ON TRACK TO PRESENT A FINAL PLAN TO CITY COUNCIL IN APRIL OF 2025.
SO TO STAY UPDATED ON THE BIKE NETWORK PLAN YOU CAN VISIT OUR WEBSITE, SHARE IT WITH OUR RESIDENTS AND OUR LATEST SURVEY WILL BE POSTED SOON.
AND WE CAN ALSO SHARE MEDIA KITS FOR ALL THINGS BIKE NETWORK PLAN.
SO AGAIN, THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED INTEREST IN OUR BIKE NETWORK PLAN.
MY TEAM AND I ARE AVAILABLE AND I'D LIKE TO INTRODUCE THEM FOR A SECOND.
WE HAVE HARLEY, ON THE CITY'S SIDE OUR PROJECT MANAGER.
SHE'S SITTING -- YOU CAN'T SEE HER. SHE'S BEHIND ME.
SHE'S OUR ASSISTANT TO THE DIRECTOR IN OUR DEPARTMENT. THEN WE ALSO HAVE DAVID, HE'S PART OF OUR CONSULTANT TEAM FROM RS AND H. SO WE'RE HERE TO ANSWER ANY
QUESTIONS. >> COURAGE: WE VALUE OUR OPINIONS.
I'M GOING TO TAKE THE TIME TO DO THAT. I'M VERY DISAPPOINTED WITH THE PLAN THAT CAME OUT IN 2011 AND ITS EXECUTION AND WHAT WE'VE GOTTEN OUT OF IT OVER THE LAST NOW 11, 12 YEARS. AND I DON'T --- I'M GOING TO BE HOPEFUL THAT THE NEXT ITERATION IS GOING TO BE MORE EFFICIENT AND EFFECTIVE. ONE OF THE THINGS IS IF WE'LL HAVE A BIKE NETWORK PLAN IT HAS TO HAVE INTERCONNECTIVITY. YOU'VE GOT TO BE ABLE TO GO FROM ONE STREET THAT HAS BIKE LANES TO ANOTHER STREET THAT HAS BIKE LANES TO ANOTHER THAT HAS BIKE LANES AND NOT NOT AT THE END OF THE STREET IT'S ALL OF A SUDDEN GONE AND YOU'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF REGULAR TRAFFIC.
I THINK BIKE LANES NEED TO HAVE A FORM OF PROTECTION. YOU SIMPLY CAN'T PUT STRIPES ON THE STREET, ESPECIALLY ON MAIN ARTERIAL STREETS, THAT WE WANT TO GO AHEAD AND USE FOR TRANSPORTATION FOR BIKES. AND I HAVE TO SAY I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO GO WITH THE MAYOR ON TRIPS TO CHINA, KOREA AND JAPAN, AND EVERY
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ONE OF THOSE COUNTRIES HAD VERY SAFE, PROTECTED BIKE LANES.ACTUALLY YOU COULD HAVE A BIKE, YOU COULD HAVE A RICK SHAW, YOU COULD HAVE A SCOOTER ON THERE, BUT THEY WERE SEPARATE AND PROTECTED FROM OTHER TRAFFIC.
NOW, WE COULD SAY THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN HOMEWORK IN THOSE COUNTRIES FOR YEARS BECAUSE THEY'VE RIDDEN IN ALTERNATIVE VEHICLES.
BUT WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO PROTECT PEOPLE. IF WE'RE GOING TO MAKE IT A SAFE AND EFFICIENT WAY TO GO TO WORK OR TO TRAVEL AROUND THE CITY.
AND RIGHT NOW IT'S JUST IN BITS AND PIECES AND IT ISN'T PARTICULARLY SAFE IN MANY OF THOSE AREAS. SO THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I WANT TO SEE MORE OF.
THE OTHER THING I'M CONCERNED ABOUT IS WHEN WE TALK ABOUT MAKING THE GREENWAY TRAIL SYSTEM A WAY OF GOING BACK AND FORTH TO WORK FOR MOB PURPOSES.
I TALKED TO THE CITY MANAGER ABOUT THIS, THAT CANNOT HAPPEN THE WAY THOSE PATHS ARE LAID OUT TODAY BECAUSE THERE ARE ALREADY TOO MUCH CONFLICT BETWEEN WALKERS AND BIKERS. YOU HAVE INDIVIDUALS WALKING THEIR CHILDREN OR PETS OR THEMSELVES THAT AREN'T ALWAYS AWARE OF THAT BIKE TRAFFIC.
SO IF YOU'RE GOING TO NOW CREATE THROUGH THOSE GREENWAY TRAILS A WAY TO GO FROM ONE PART OF TOWN TO ANOTHER TO GO TO WORK, IT'S GOING TO TAKE A LOT MORE CHANGE TO WHAT EXISTS TODAY IN ORDER TO PUT THAT INTO EFFECT.
SO I THINK ALL OF THOSE THINGS NEED TO BE CLOSELY EXAMINED AND LOOKED AT, AND I WANT TO SEE -- I HOPE TO SEE A TRAIL SYSTEM THAT REALLY WILL ENABLE PEOPLE TO TRAVEL SAFELY ON A BIKE FROM ONE AREA TO ANOTHER AND NOT FIND DISCONNECTED PIECES THAT AREN'T REALLY GOING TO PROMOTE BIKE SAFETY OR MOBILITY.
SO THOSE ARE MY POINTS OF VIEW. I JUST WANTED TO BRING IT UP. WOULD EITHER COUNCIL MEMBER LIKE TO SHARE SOMETHING?
COUNCIL GAVITO. >> GAVITO: THANK YOU. I WANT TO ECHO YOUR SENTIMENTS ABOUT CONNECTIVITY. I KNOW YOU HAVE HEARD ME SAY A MILLION TIMES, EVEN AROUND WOODLAWN LAKE THERE'S A BIKE TRAIL AROUND 40% OF THE LAKE AND THE REST 60% IS AT YOUR OWN RISK. IT MAKES ZERO SENSE.
AND YOU SEE PARENTS AND KIDS TRYING TO RIDE THEIR BIKES AROUND ONE OF THE MOST UTILIZED PARKS IN THE CITY, AND THEY DON'T EVEN HAVE A PROTECTED BIKE LANE JUST AROUND A LAKE. SO THAT'S JUST ONE BIG EXAMPLE OF LACK OF INTERCONNECTIVITY. AND YES, I TOTALLY AGREE WITH YOU ON ADDING PROTECTION FOR OUR CYCLISTS OF ALL SORTS BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, I THINK WHEN I SAW THIS BIKE NETWORK PLAN FOR THE FIRST TIME WE WERE TALKING ABOUT A LOT OF CYCLISTS TRAVELING DOWN CINCINNATI. SO YOU HAVE A ROAD THAT'S REALLY NICE AND WIDE AND IT HAS BIKE LANES BUT THERE'S CARS AND TRASH CANS IN ALL OF THE BIKE PATHS. SO IT'S ALL FOR NAUGHT BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, CYCLISTS ARE HAVING TO GO IN AND OUT OF TRAFFIC TO AVOID THE CARS AND THE TRASHCAN BINS.
SO I THINK IF WE GET SERIOUS ABOUT NOT ONLY ENFORCING THE BIKE LANES AND PROTECTING THEM AND SET THAT CULTURE AND IT WILL BE A MINDSET SHIFT FOR SAN ANTONIANS BUT IF THAT'S WHAT WE'RE GOING TO GEAR UP TO DO TO REALLY GET SERIOUS ABOUT THIS, THEN I THINK THAT'S WHAT WE NEED TO GEAR UP TO DO. AND ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT I HAD WANTED TO MENTION WAS ANOTHER CONCERN REALLY RELATED TO PUBLIC SAFETY, BUT A CONCERN THAT WE'RE NOT ONLY SEEING IN DISTRICT 7, BUT ALL THROUGHOUT THE CITY IS SPEEDING. YOU KNOW, WE'RE -- WE JUST BUDGETED SOME ITEMS FOR -- TO ADDRESS SPEEDING IN OUR CITY AND IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS, AND THAT'S GOING TO JUST BE A HUGE ISSUE WITH CYCLISTS. I MEAN, YOU KNOW, WE'RE SEEING CARS GO DOWN NEIGHBORHOOD ROADS AT 50, 60 MILES PER HOUR.
THAT'S PROBABLY GOING TO DETER FAMILIES FROM CYCLING TO GET TO THEIR PLACES TOO.
I HAD A COUPLE OF -- A FEW OTHER QUESTIONS. WHAT DOES THE BIKE NETWORK
TEAM'S COORDINATION WITH PUBLIC WORKS LOOK LIKE? >> WE COORDINATE WITH THEM ON CURRENT PROJECTS THAT PUBLIC WORKS IS WORKING ON. SO AS THEIR DOING THEIR SCOPING MEETINGS, MEMBERS OF MY TEAM ARE WORKING ON THAT SO WE CAN PROVIDE INPUT AS TO WHETHER OR NOT IT'S RECONSTRUCTION OF A ROAD, NEW CONSTRUCTION, MILL AND OVERLAY. WE PROVIDE INPUT AS TO WHAT THE CURRENT BIKE MASTER PLAN
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SAYS. AND WE LOOK AT DIFFERENT FACTORS, HAS THE CONDITIONS CHANGED, HAS WHAT THE MASTER PLAN RECOMMEND, IS IT SAFE TO PUT THAT THERE? HAS THE SPEED LIMITS CHANGED? WE DO PROVIDE INPUT?WE DO A LOT OF COORDINATION WITH PUBLIC WORKS. >> THAT'S GREAT TO HEAR.
AND ALSO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR ALL YOUR EFFORTS IN TRYING TO CREATE A SAFER BIKING COMMUNITY DO OUR CITY. I KNOW IT'S A TOUGH TASK AND I THINK AS A CITY WE'RE NOT DOING VERY WELL WITH IT, BUT I THINK WE NEED -- WE NEED THESE PLANS TO PUT FIRE UNDER ALL OF OUR COLLECTIVE BUTTS.
REALLY QUICK TOO, ON THE POLICY UPDATES, SLIDE 15,& WHAT IS THE TIMELINE FOR THAT? I KNOW YOU WERE GOING TO BE MAKING SOME CHANGES --
RECOMMENDING SOME POLICY CHANGES. >> YES.
SO THROUGH THE PUBLIC OUTREACH, SO JUST LIKE WE TALKED ABOUT HAVING THOSE CAREFUL CONVERSATIONS WITH PROPERTY OWNERS THAT ARE ALONG A STRETCH TO DETERMINE IF THAT ROAD SHOULD HAVE A NO PARKING SIGN. SO THROUGHOUT THE OUTREACH AREAS WE'LL GET THAT INPUT, WE'LL HEAR FROM THE COMMUNITY ABOUT WHAT THEY WANT BECAUSE AGAIN, THIS PLAN HAS A VERY ROBUST PUBLIC OUTREACH COMPONENT.
AND THEN AS PART OF THAT FINAL PLAN THERE WILL BE THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS WHETHER THEY'RE UDC RECOMMENDATIONS, CITY CODE RECOMMENDATIONS, AND COME UP WITH THAT LIST. WE MIGHT HAVE TO TACKLE THOSE PIECEMEAL.
IT MAY BE AN EXTRA PHASE IN ORDER TO GET ONLINE IN ORDER TO CHANGE THAT ORDINANCE, BUT AGAIN WE'LL GET THAT THROUGH THAT FEEDBACK AND START WHAT WE CAN TACKLING
THE LOW-HANGING FRUIT. >> GAVITO: AWESOME. WELL, THANKS AGAIN.
I CAN'T THANK Y'ALL ENOUGH FOR JUST PUTTING THIS OUT THERE AND IT IS GOING TO TAKE A COLLECTIVE PUSH, BUT I THINK WE'RE READY FOR IT. THANK YOU, CHAIR.
>> COURAGE: COUNCILWOMAN. >> THANK YOU, CHAIR. SO ONE OF THE THINGS I'VE HEARD FROM THE COMMUNITY, WE HAVE AN ACTIVE BIKE ACTIVIST COMMUNITY AND THEY'RE WORRIED THAT THE PLAN IS GOING TO CAUSE US TO STOP MAKING LANES BETTER FOR THE ONES THAT ARE ALREADY EXISTING RIGHT NOW. IT'S A WORK THAT'S GOING TO BE CONTINUING TO HAPPEN ON LANES WHILE THIS PLAN IS IN PROCESS.
>> YES. SO AGAIN WHETHER COORDINATION WITH PUBLIC WORKS IS THEY'RE WORKING ON THE STREET PROJECTS, WE'RE AGAIN PROVIDING THAT INPUT ABOUT BIKE LANES, RESTRIPING, REPOSITIONING THEM, WHATEVER WE NEED TO DO IN ORDER TO MAKE SURE THAT WE MAINTAIN IT. THROUGH THE BIKE NETWORK PLAN PROCESS WE'LL IDENTIFY THOSE PROJECTS THAT WE CAN TACKLE WHILE THE PLAN IS BEING WORKED ON SO THERE'S NOT GOING TO BE A FREEZE OR A MORATORIUM, IF YOU WILL, ON CREATION OF BIKE LANES. AGAIN, IDENTIFYING WHAT THAT LOW-HANGING FRUIT IT AND START WITH THE IMPLEMENTATION BECAUSE WE DO RECEIVE ANNUAL FUNDING IN
ORDER TO IMPLEMENT THAT. >> GOT IT. AND ABOUT THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROCESS, SO I TRIED TO LOOK AT THE SURVEY, BUT I GUESS YOU GUYS ARE GOING TO REOPEN IT ON OCTOBER 1. IT'S CLOSED RIGHT NOW. CAN YOU TALK ME THROUGH -- I LOVE LISTENING TO THE PROCESS, BUT WHAT I WAS JUST TELLING LORI, DO THE SURVEY QUESTIONS LOOK LIKE, HOW ARE YOU ADAPTING THE -- IT SEEMS LIKE YOU POTENTIALLY ARE ADAPTING THE SURVEY OR WHAT YOU'RE DOING IN THE MEETING AS A RESULT OF WHAT YOU'RE HEARING. AND THEN HOW DOES THAT -- IS THAT GOING TO GET
INCORPORATED INTO THE PLAN? >> SURE. I'LL HAVE DAVID OUR
CONSULTANT TALK ABOUT THAT. >> THANK YOU, CAT AND THANK YOU COUNCILMAN KAUR.
I'M SO EXCITED YOU ASKED FOR THIS. THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT FOR THE BIKE NETWORK PLAN IS SOME OF THE MOST ROBUST I'VE EVER WORKED ON.
IT INCLUDES FOUR PHASES OVER TWO YEARS AS YOU SAW IN THE GRAPHIC.
THE FIRST PHASE WAS GETTING A FEEL, WHAT PEOPLE ARE USING, WHAT PEOPLE ARE GOING IN. WE RECEIVED A TON OF REALLY, REALLY GREAT COMMUNITY FEEDBACK AND WE'VE PUT TOGETHER A PUBLICLY ACCESSIBLE MAP OF THAT ENGAGEMENT AND COMMENTS THAT WILL BE PUBLISHED PUBLICLY ON OCTOBER 1ST ALONG WITH THE NEW SURVEY SO YOU WILL SEE WHAT PHASE 1 LOOKED LIKE, WHERE WE WERE AT, WHAT ZIP CODES HAD THE MOST SURVEY RESPONSES. DISTRICT 1 WILL VERY WELL.
AND WE -- AND WE'RE REALLY EXCITED TO SHOW YOU BECAUSE YOU WILL BE ABLE TO LOOK AT NOT JUST WHAT DO PEOPLE SAY, WHAT WERE SOME COMMON RESPONSES, HOW MANY SURVEYS WE GOT? BUT WE HAVE AN INTERACTIVE MAP ON THAT FEATURE THAT YOU CAN ZOOM IN AND SEE OH, THIS INTERSECTION SOMEONE COMMENTED ON IT AND SEE THAT COMMENT. THAT'S ALL PUBLICLY AVAILABLE FOR Y'ALL, THAT'S
COMING OUT ALONG WITH OUR NEW SURVEY. >> THAT'S AWESOME.
SO IS THE NEW SURVEY MODIFIED THEN BASED ON WHAT YOU HEARD?
>> ABSOLUTELY. A COUPLE OF KEY CONSIDERATIONS THAT WE GOT FROM OUR FIRST PHASE WAS PEOPLE HAD SPATIAL COMMENTS, OF COURSE.
WE WANT TO SEE SOMETHING HERE, WE WANT TO SEE SOMETHING HERE, BUT JUST LIKE Y'ALL, THE NUMBER ONE THING THAT WE HEARD WAS WILL STUFF THAT WE BUILT JUST ISN'T SAFE. WE WANT BETTER DESIGNS, WE WANT MORE PROTECTION.
WE HAD A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS IN OUR FIRST PHASE THAT WE RECEIVED THAT FEEDBACK FROM. SO OUR NEXT SURVEY THAT'S COMING OUT ON -- WE HAVE OUR FIRST EVENT ON SATURDAY IN DISTRICT 1 AT THE KICKOFF FOR THE SA NEIGHBORS TOGETHER EVENT. JUST ON THE WESTSIDE. THAT SURVEY WHICH WILL BE POSTED ONLINE ON THE FIRST IS ALMOST ENTIRELY IMAGERY. IT'S ABOUT WHAT MAKES YOU
[01:50:03]
FEEL SAFE, WHAT DO YOU LIKE THE WAY IT LOOKS LIKE? WHAT KIND OF SEPARATION DO YOU WANT TO SEE IN DO YOU WANT TO SEE A STRIPED BIKE LANE OR DO YOU WANT A BUFFER? WHAT DO YOU WANT IN THAT BUFFER? IS IT BUMPS, IS IT BALLS, IT IS JERSEY BARRIERS LIKE WE SEE IN OUR CITIES? SO THAT'S GOING TO BE A VERY VISUAL SURVEY. WE WANT TO GET PEOPLE'S PREFERENCES NOT JUST ON WHERE, NOT JUST ON WHY BUT WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE ON THEGROUND. >> AWESOMEMENT AND HOW ARE YOU GOING TO INCORPORATE ALL
OF THAT INTO THE PLAN? >> THAT IS ANOTHER REALLY GREAT QUESTION.
SO THAT GOES INTO OUR THIRD AND FOURTH PHASE. OUR THIRD PHASE IS GOING TO BE VERY SPATIAL. NOW THAT WE'VE GOTTEN THIS FEEDBACK ON WHAT SAN ANTONIANS LIKE TO USE RIGHT NOW, WHAT THEY WANT TO SEE, THEN WE GET TO START EVALUATING ROUTES. WE GET TO START WITH A PROPOSED MAP THAT WE'RE HOPING TO HAVE OUT EARLY TO SPRING NEXT YEAR OF PROPOSALS THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A YEAR OF ENGAGEMENT TO REFINE. WE WANT PEOPLE COMMENTING ON, OH, THIS ROUTE THAT YOU'RE PROPOSING GOING UP, LET'S SAY, MCCOLLOUGH FOR DISTRICT 1, THAT DOESN'T REALLY SERVE ME BECAUSE I'M TRYING TO GO EAST-WEST.
HOW CAN WE BUILD A BETTER ROUTE THAT GOES EAST-WEST. ALL OF THAT GETS TIED UP IN AT THE END WITH THE PLAN WITH A PROPOSED MAP OF FACILITIES, THE RECOMMENDED DESIGNS THAT WE'LL HAVE OUR OWN STANDARDS THAT SLIGHTLY CHANGE NATIONAL BEST PRACTICES LIKE THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF CITY TRANSPORTATION OFFICIALS OR NACTO. AND WE'RE GOING TO HAVE ALL OF THAT INSIDE A POLICY REVIEW THAT GOES INTO AMENDMENTS NOT JUST THAT CAN BE INCLUDED IN THE PLAN AND IMPLEMENTED DOWN THE ROAD, BUT STUFF THAT WE CAN GET STARTED ON REALLY, REALLY QUICKLY. THAT POLICY REVIEW WILL BE PRESENTED IN FINAL FORM WITH THE FINAL PLAN IN 2025, BUT IF WE KEEP OUR PACE UP, WHICH WE'RE DOING PRETTY GOOD ON RIGHT NOW, WE COULD HAVE A DRAFT OF THAT TO Y'ALL SOMETIME MID NEXT
YEAR. >> AWESOME. AND IS THERE -- SO THE BIG -- I THINK ONE OF THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES RIGHT NOW EVEN WE HAVE SOME DISTRICT 1 FOLKS THAT REALLY WANT TO SEE THE SOUTH PART OF LIKE CESAR CHAVEZ GOING SOUTH BE ADDED. AND SO WE DON'T HAVE FUNDING FOR A LOT OF THIS.
SO ARE YOU GUYS GOING TO BE RECOMMENDING MORE FUNDING SOURCES AND MAKING IT LIKE A
REQUIREMENT? >> YES. IMPLEMENTATION IS A HUGE PART OF OUR PLAN. THAT HAPPENS AFTER WE'VE DONE A LOT OF THIS GREAT COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT SO WE'RE NOT JUST SAYING BUILD, BUILD, BUILD WITHOUT KNOWING WHAT THE COMMUNITY WANTS. IN TERMS OF A FUNDING STRATEGY WE WILL ACTUALLY BE PUTTING THAT TOGETHER AND THAT WILL RECOMMEND CHANGES BOTH TO ANNUALIZED BUDGETS FOR THE CITY OF SAN ANTONIO, BOND FUNDING AND HOW WE CAN LEVERAGE ALL OF THAT WITH REAL MATCHING FUNDS. THERE'S A LINE IN THE 2011 PLAN THAT SAYS YOU'RE GOING TO -- WE RECOMMEND THAT YOU GO FOR EVERY GRANT EVERY YEAR ALL THE TIME.
AND THAT'S JUST NOT -- AS YOU HEARD FROM OUR -- YOU SEE SAN ANTONIO'S GREAT STAFF, BUT THAT'S JUST NOT FEASIBLE. WE NEED TO BE SELECTIVE.
WE NEED TO BE REALLY, REALLY PRE-SIZE AND TO COUNCILWOMAN'S GAVITO'S QUESTION EARLIER ON HOW WE WORK WITH PUBLIC WORKS, WE'RE WORKING RIGHT NOW ON AN APPLICATION FOR THE BIGGEST POT OF MONEY AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL, THE RAISE GRANT CYCLE. WE HAVE TWO REALLY ATTRACTIVE PROJECTS THAT WE'RE ANALYZING RIGHT NOW AND HOPING TO GET SOME FEEDBACK FROM Y'ALL ON ONCE
WE HAVE IT IRONED OUT. >> AND LAST QUESTION. ON THIS SURVEY I KNOW YOU COLLECT LIKE WHERE YOU'RE COMING FROM, THAT'S HOW YOU CAN MAP OUT.
DO YOU COLLECT DEMOGRAPHIC INFORMATION? >> WE DO.
IT IS OPTIONAL BECAUSE IT'S -- SO NOT EVERYONE RESPONDS.
WE HAVE GOTTEN I BELIEVE -- WE RECEIVED 17 -- OVER 1700 RESPONSES IN OUR FIRST ROUND SURVEY. CLEANED THAT UP A LITTLE BIT AND I THINK IT ENDED UP BEING 1698 THAT WE CAN FEEL COMFORTABLE IN. AND OF THAT ABOUT A THOUSAND, MAYBE A LITTLE MORE, HAD COMPLETED DEMOGRAPHIC INFORMATION FOR ALL CATEGORIES. AND SO WE CAN USE THAT AS A SAMPLE.
>> WILL YOU DO LIKE A SUMMARY FOR US AND SEND OUT A SUMMARY OF --
>> WE'RE WORKING ON IT RIGHT NOW. >> AWESOME.
THANK YOU SO MUCH. AND COUNCIL MEMBER MCKEE RODRIGUEZ, BUT HE WANTED ME TO MAKE THE COMMENT THAT TO GO WITH DESIGN STANDARDS ARE ALWAYS CHANGING AND KIND OF WHAT IS REQUIRED BY STATE LAW AND IS CHANGING, WE WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THE PLAN THAT WE GET PUT INTO PLACE IS ADAPTABLE AND MAKES SURE THAT WE CAN FORCE -- TRY OUR BEST TO FORESEE ANY CHANGES THAT MIGHT BE HAPPENING.
>> ABSOLUTELY. JUST TO CHIME IN A LITTLE BIT ON THE FUNDING.
DAVID WAS A LITTLE BIT MODEST, BUT THEY ARE SUCCESSFUL IN IDENTIFYING THOSE GRANT OPPORTUNITIES AND APPLICATIONS SO WE SEEMED UP WITH A GREAT PARTNER IN THIS SO WE CAN LEVERAGE THOSE ADDITIONAL FUNDS BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT WE HAVE UNLIMITED WANTS, UNLIMIT NEEDS AND VERY LIMITED RESOURCES.
SO IDENTIFYING HOW WE CAN LEVERAGE THOSE FUNDS IS GOING TO BE PIVOTAL WITH RS
AND H. >> AWESOME. YOU GUYS ARE DOING A GREAT
JOB. >> THANK YOU. >> COURAGE: OKAY.
I KNOW WE'RE AT TIME BUT I WANT TO MAKE A PREROGATIVE TO MAKE A COUPLE OF OTHER SUGGESTIONS. BEAR WITH ME. WHAT I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IN THE END PRODUCT IS A MAP SIMILAR TO WHAT I SEE FROM PUBLIC WORKS.
WHEN THEY LAY OUT WHICH STREETS ARE GOING TO GET DIFFERENT KINDS OF SERVICE.
[01:55:03]
AND I CAN LOOK AT THE MAP OF DISTRICT 9 AND I CAN SEE THAT THESE STREETS ARE GOING TO GET MILL AND OVERLAY AND THESE STREETS ARE GOING TO GET A LIGHTER SURFACE AND THESE STREETS ARE GOING TO GET COMPLETELY REBUILT. SO FROM THE POINT OF VIEW OF WHICH STREETS WOULD BE EXCELLENT FOR LANES, WHICH STREETS MIGHT BE BETTER FOR PATHS OR THINGS LIKE THAT, SO I CAN SEE WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF MY DISTRICT AND WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF THE WHOLE CITY HOW ARE WE PRIORITIZING WHICH STREETS ARE THE BEST ONES FOR PROVIDING CERTAIN TYPES OF BICYCLE PROTECTION OR ACCESS? AND SO THAT I CAN SEE THE CONNECTIVITY OF IT.THAT'S A BIG EFFORT, BUT YOU'VE GOT TWO YEARS TO WORK ON IT.
SO I HOPE TO SEE THAT. ALSO, I WOULD SUGGEST, AND I THINK THIS IS THE RIGHT WAY TO DO IT IN THE LONG RUN, IS IF THERE ARE SUGGESTIONS TO MAKE CHANGES TO STREETS THAT MAYBE NEVER HAD ANY KIND OF BIKE LANE OR MAYBE THEY DID BUT WE'RE GOING TO BE PUTTING IN A BIKE LANE THAT'S GOING TO GO AHEAD AND HAVE SOME KIND OF BARRIER OR IF WE'RE GOING TO PUT IN A BIKE LANE THAT WE'RE GOING TO SAY, WELL, YOU SHOULDN'T HAVE PARKING ON THE STREET IF YOU WILL HAVE THIS BIKE LANE.
THAT THOSE KINDS OF PROPOSALS SHOULD GO TO EVERY STREET AND THE RESIDENTS ON THAT STREET AND THEY SHOULD VOTE TO SAY YES, WE WANT THAT OR NO, WE DON'T.
I DO THAT RIGHT NOW WITH SIDEWALKS, FOR EXAMPLE. YOU KNOW, WE HAVE PROPOSALS FOR SIDEWALKS IN OUR NEIGHBORHOODS. AND SO WE GO UP TO TALK TO THE PEOPLE AND SAY WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A SIDEWALK PUT IN THERE.
AND THEY SAY WAIT A MINUTE, I DON'T WANT A SIDEWALK. I DON'T WANT YOU TO TAKE OUT THE TREE THAT'S RIGHT ALONG THE CURB OR I DON'T WANT YOU TO TAKE OUT MY MAILBOX OR ALL OF THE LANDSCAPING THAT'S IN HERE. OR WE DON'T WANT TO HAVE PEOPLE WALKING UP AND DOWN OUR STREET? WHATEVER IT IS.
NOW, A LOT OF TIMES WE'RE ABLE TO OVERCOME THAT, THAT FEAR OR THAT CONCERN.
BUT I THINK THAT IF WE'RE GOING TO BE MAKING SIGNIFICANT CHANGES TO A STREET THAT WE NEED TO GET THE INPUT AND THE SUPPORT OF THE PEOPLE WHO LIVE ON THAT STREET AND NOT SIMPLY SAY WE'RE GOING TO DO THIS. SO I HOPE THAT WILL BE PART OF THE FINAL PROCESS. JUST LIKE I TALKED TO THE PEOPLE ABOUT YOUR STREETS GOING TO GET PAVED OR WE'RE GOING TO PUT IN SIDEWALKS, I WANT THEM TO KNOW AND I WANT THEM TO SAY OKAY, WE ALL AGREE WE WON'T PARK ON A STREET SO THERE'S A CLEAR LANE. OR WE DON'T. AND THE MAJORITY SAY WE DON'T WANT A BIKE LANE, WE DON'T NEED A BIKE LANE, AND IF WE CAN'T SELL THEM ON IT, THEN I CAN'T SAY WE SHOULD FORCE IT ON THEM. SO JUST WANTED TO THROW THAT OUT FOR DISCUSSION AND AS YOU GO THROUGH THIS PROCESS.
I THINK THOSE ARE SOME OF THE QUESTIONS TO ASK PEOPLE WHEN THEY COME TO PUBLIC
MEETINGS TOO. >> ABSOLUTELY. >> COURAGE: THAT'S IT FOR
ME. ANYBODY HAVE ANYTHING ELSE? >> ONE QUICK QUESTION.
THAT'S THE ONLY CAVEAT, YEAH. >> GREAT, THANK YOU.
>> COURAGE: OKAY. THEN I MOVE
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.