Over the past decade, San Antonio has boomed, and traffic volumes have increased substantially.  At the same time, funding to build new roads has not been able to keep pace with growth, mostly due to the effect of inflation and dramatic increases in construction costs on state's static fuel tax, which has not been adjusted since 1991, improved fuel mileage, which means less taxes paid per mile driven, and diversions from the state's Highway Fund to pay for public education and other non-transportation expenses.  Additionally, Texas continues to be shortchanged by the federal government, receiving only about 9 cents back of every dime of the federal fuel tax revenues it collects, and in 2008 and 2009 the federal government twice rescinded previously allocated funding due to shortfalls in collections due to their own static gas tax.  San Antonio had fared even worse, having gotten back only about 75% of its contributions during the '90s and early 2000s, although recent changes to funding formulas have improved that ratio substantially.  Still, a substantial backlog of needed projects remains from all those years of being shortchanged, population and traffic growth continues unabated across the state adding additional pressures on an already lagging system, and the funding issues still have not been resolved by the Legislature.

Therefore, to help expedite the construction of needed roadways, the state encouraged regional authorities to find local funding mechanisms.  To that end, Bexar County leaders in 2003 created the Alamo Regional Mobility Authority (ARMA) to take a local leadership role in finding funding solutions for the San Antonio area.  Because there are few local funding options available, the primary focus has been on using tolls as the backing for bonds that would fund major projects.  TxDOT and ARMA estimate that using this financing method will allow several roads to be built as many as 25 years ahead of tax-funded estimated schedules and ergo substantially cheaper.

On this page:

• Proposed system
• Types of tollways
• Tolls and toll collection
• Schedule, status, and history
• Other sites of interest

Proposed system

ARMA has identified a number of feasible tollway projects in Bexar County.  An initial "Starter System" of about 20 miles was originally identified with additional segments of Loop 1604 subsequently added.  Several other future projects are currently being investigated by TxDOT.  The map below shows the proposed tollway locations in San Antonio as of the end of 2009.

STARTER SYSTEM

• US 281 North from 1604 to the Comal County line
• Loop 1604 from Military Dr. to I-10 East and its interchanges with SH 151, I-10 West, US 281 North, I-35 North, and I-10 East

FUTURE PROPOSED ADDITIONS

• I-35 from Loop 410 South to the Comal County line
• SH 151 from Loop 1604 to SH 211
• I-10 West from Loop 1604 to Boerne
• I-10 East from Loop 410 to SH 130 in Seguin
• Kelly Parkway and its interchanges with I-35 South and Loop 410

PREVIOUSLY PROPOSED SECTIONS
(These sections are no longer being considered for tolling.)

• SH 16 (Bandera Rd.) from Loop 410 to Loop 1604
• Wurzbach Parkway from Starcrest Dr. to Blanco Rd.
• Interchange at Wurzbach Parkway and US 281
• Southern half of US 281/Loop 1604 interchange

Types of tollways

Many people don't understand how a tollway functions or what it looks like.  There are actually several different types of tollways being considered for Bexar County:

• Tolled expressway mainlanes
  In this scenario, the mainlanes of the expressway, which would be new, would be tolled, while the access roads would remain toll-free.  This type of tollway is currently being considered for US 281 North, SH 151 outside of Loop 1604 to SH 211, and the Kelly Parkway.  Tolled mainlanes for Wurzbach Parkway between Blanco and Wetmore were studied but determined to be unfeasible.  Bandera Rd. was removed from tollway plans by the MPO board in October 2009.  It is important to understand that in every case where this type of tollway is being developed, it is essentially the exact same proposal as a toll-free version of the project would be.  The only difference is that drivers who opt to use the new expressway lanes would pay a toll.  This is a more "traditional" type of tollway; an example in Texas is the Sam Houston Tollway (Beltway 8) in Houston.

Animation showing how toll expressway lanes could be added to an existing divided roadway,
such as on US 281.

• Tolled managed lanes
  On roads that already have toll-free expressway lanes, those existing lanes would remain toll-free, but new express lanes, known as "managed lanes", built in the median between the existing expressway lanes would be tolled.  The existing lanes would likely have to be shifted outward slightly to provide sufficient room for the new lanes.  The new managed lanes would be separated from the toll-free lanes by barriers with limited entry and exit points to the toll-free lanes.  It might be possible for the managed lanes to also double as HOV and/or transit lanes, known as HOT (High Occupancy/Toll) lanes.  This type of tollway is currently proposed for Loop 1604 and is also being investigated for I-35 and I-10.  This type of facility was recently opened on I-10 West (Katy Freeway) in Houston.

Animation showing how tolled managed lanes could be added to a typical section of Loop 1604.
 

Conceptual rendering of tolled managed lanes along Loop 1604
(Courtesy: Alamo Regional Mobility Authority)

• Tolled elevated lanes
  A tollway would be built elevated over the existing free roadway.  This type of tollway was proposed for Bandera Rd., but studies showed that it would be unfeasible.  This is also one of the three options currently being studied for US 281 North.
   
• Tolled interchange
  New direct-connect ramps between the tollway and an intersecting roadway would tolled.  Tolled interchanges are currently proposed for Loop 1604 at SH 151,  I-10 West, US 281 North,
  I-35 North and I-10 East, and at Kelly Parkway and I-35 South and Loop 410.  A tolled interchange at US 281 and Wurzbach Parkway was studied but determined to be unfeasible. 

The map below shows which type of tollway is proposed for each tollway segment.

Tolls & toll collection

In late 2007, the MPO approved proposed toll rates of 17 cents per mile and 57 cents per tolled interchange ramp for most passenger vehicles.  Larger vehicles (such as 18-wheelers) would pay 46 cents per mile and $1.15 per ramp.  (These were the planned 2009 rates and are subject to increase based on inflation rates.)  All tolls would be collected electronically; there would be no tollbooths.  Motorists using the tollways would be required to have an electronic transponder ("toll tag") and a corresponding account with TxTag, the state's toll tag agency.  These tags are mounted in the windshield of the vehicle and contain an identifier code.  Tag readers would be located at strategic locations along the toll system and would electronically read and record the identifier codes of tags as they pass by.  The toll would then be charged to the account linked to the tag where it is deducted from a pre-paid balance in the account.  Vehicles using the toll system without toll tags would be photographed and be billed by mail for the toll amount plus an additional collection fee.

Toll tags from any Texas toll agency can be used on any tollway in the state.

Schedule, status, and history

Initially, the plan was that TxDOT would build the Starter System beginning in late 2005, then transfer operational responsibility to ARMA when completed around 2009.  But in May 2005, Cintra-Zachary, the private consortium selected to build the first leg of the Trans-Texas Corridor, made an unsolicited bid to build and operate the San Antonio tollway starter system.  After review, TxDOT decided that the proposal had enough merit that it would seriously consider it, and in accordance with state law, accepted other private bids to build and operate the starter system.  According to media reports, the private bid would allow the project to be built faster and would allow TxDOT to reallocate the $600 million that it would have used to build the starter system to other projects.  After a bit of rancorous debate between TxDOT and ARMA, it was agreed that the private plans would be evaluated with local input. 

After word of the toll projects became public, a substantial amount of grassroots opposition, headed by the Texas Toll Party group that has also vehemently opposed Austin area toll projects, started to form.  They showed en masse at an MPO meeting in mid 2005 and managed to get the Loop 1604 West extension tabled, at least for the time being.  As you might imagine, these events added some uncertainty to the entire project.  However, TxDOT awarded the construction contract for the US 281 North tollway (Sonterra to Stone Oak) in September 2005 and preparation work for construction began in December 2005.  The opponents filed a lawsuit shortly thereafter challenging the project, arguing that it required a full (and costly) environmental impact statement (EIS), instead of the numerous environmental assessments (EA) that had been performed up to that time.  Federal law only requires an EIS to be performed if an EA finds significant impacts, which the EAs for 281 did not.  However, TxDOT and the Federal Highway Administration
(FHWA), who were both named in the suit, jointly agreed in January 2006 to suspend work on the 281 tollway project as well as the planned 281/Borgfeld overpass so that a comprehensive and definitive EA for the entire corridor could be done and a subsequent determination made of whether a full impact statement would need to be performed.

In early 2007, the new EA for 281 was released.  As with previous assessments, it found no substantial issues, a so-called "Finding of No Significant Impacts" (FONSI).  The FHWA approved the EA on August 14th 2007.  TxDOT announced plans to cancel the original overpass project at Borgfeld as ARMA indicated it was considering building the entire 281 tollway project from 1604 to Borgfeld as one project with construction possibly beginning in 2008.

ARMA is also working on studies on the other possible toll projects on I-35 North, Bandera Road, and Wurzbach Parkway.  In early 2007, ARMA determined that the Wurzbach Pkwy. proposal was not feasible for tolling but is continuing with an environmental assessment in conjunction with TxDOT for the missing center segment and three proposals for an interchange at 281.  The tolling option for the Bandera Rd. project was dropped by the MPO board in October 2009.

TxDOT announced in mid-2006 that it was considering possible toll lanes along I-10 West from Loop 1604 to Boerne and I-10 East from Loop 410 to Seguin.  Those would be additional capacity lanes in the median; the existing lanes would remain toll-free.

On June 11th, 2007, after a series of discussions with the Legislature, Governor Perry signed compromise legislation that put a two-year moratorium on the construction of privately financed toll roads.  The bill included a number of exceptions, mostly in the Dallas-Fort Worth and Houston areas, but the 281 and 1604 toll projects in San Antonio were not exempted.  On June 15th, ARMA voted to assume control of those projects with plans to fund the projects with bonds and begin construction in mid 2008. 

In late June 2007, TxDOT released the results of the EA for the Loop 1604 tollway and expansion and showed plans for the proposed improvements.  That EA also had FONSI outcome.  ARMA has since decided to complete a more comprehensive EIS for the project. 

In December 2007, the MPO approved the toll rates for the US 281 project.  ARMA announced that they would build the 281 project in two segments: Loop 1604 to Marshall Rd. and Marshall Rd. to the Comal county line.  Construction on the first segment, from Loop 1604 to Marshall, was expected to start in mid 2008 with completion in late 2010.  The second segment was expected to be completed in 2012.

In February 2008, toll opponents and environmentalists once again filed a lawsuit challenging the latest 281 environmental assessment.  After initial arguments, the judge ruled that the plaintiffs' case had sufficient standing to move forward with discovery.  During the discovery process, TxDOT announced that they found a document that was omitted from the administrative record for the federal environmental approval and asked for a 60 day stay to allow time to submit the document to the FHWA for review to determine if it could change the overall findings of the study.  In early October 2008, TxDOT then reported that they had uncovered a conflict of interest with the contractor who performed the endangered species study.  Specifically, it was discovered that a staff biologist with TxDOT was married to an employee of the company the state had hired to do the a portion of the study, that the TxDOT employee's supervisor was aware of the situation and allowed it but that controls put in place to mitigate the conflict were not enforced.  As a result, TxDOT asked the FHWA to revoke their environmental approval for the project.  In November 2008, all parties involved (TxDOT, ARMA, and the FHWA) agreed to do a more comprehensive environmental impact statement (EIS) for the corridor and the lawsuit was dismissed as moot.  In April 2009, ARMA hired the consultant to develop the new EIS and it is expected to be completed by 2012.

Meanwhile, in May 2008, ARMA had selected Cibolo Creek Infrastructure Joint Venture to design and build the 281 project.  The consortium was headed by Fluor Enterprises of Irving, Texas, and Balfour Beatty Infrastructure Inc. of Atlanta, and included several San Antonio subcontractors.  (Contrary to public perception, the consortium included no foreign companies.)  Design work was 30% completed when it was stopped due to the aforementioned litigation and subsequent decision to do a full EIS.  ARMA had planned to start construction in late 2008 or early 2009 on the first segment, from Loop 1604 to Marshall Rd., with estimated completion in late 2010.  However, those plans are now on hold pending the outcome of the new environmental impact statement.

In February 2009, a new proposal was made public that would upgrade 281 to a "super-street" from Encino Rio to Marshall.  Under the plan, the intersections of Encino Rio, Evans, Stone Oak, and Marshall would be redesigned to eliminate straight-through and left-turn movements on those intersecting roadways.  Instead, traffic would turn right and then use a downstream turnaround on 281 to either turn back the other way on 281 or get back to the intersecting road and then turn right to continue through on it.  While the plan does add additional signals and forces some drivers to travel out of their way, the plan would reduce overall congestion in the area because it would reduce signal cycles from five or six phases to just two, thus allowing additional green time for 281 traffic.  This proposal is considered a short-term "band-aid" until the environmental studies for a more significant upgrade of 281 are complete.  For more information on the super-street proposal, click here.

Also in February 2009, Congress approved a national economic "stimulus" plan that would pour additional federal money into road construction projects.  The Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) approved allocating San Antonio's share of transportation stimulus funding to be used as matching funds to leverage state funding for the first half of a 281/1604 interchange.  This project would build all four of the ramps connecting to 281 south of 1604, i.e. northbound 281 to both directions of 1604, and both directions of 1604 to southbound 281.  The use of the federal funds will allow the ramps to be toll-free.  It was determined that ramps connecting to 281 north of 1604 could not be built until lingering issues stemming from the lawsuits and associated environmental studies for 281 north of 1604 are resolved.  The Texas Transportation Commission (TTC) approved the funding request on March 5th, 2009, and construction began in February 2011.  For more information on the 281/1604 interchange, click here.

For more information on the plans for US 281 north of 1604, see the US 281 North tollway project page.

For more information on the plans for Loop 1604, see the Loop 1604 tollway project page.

Other sites of interest

	Alamo Regional Mobility Authority http://www.alamorma.org
	The 4-1-1 on 281 http://www.411on281.com