At Loop 1604

Here you can see the proposed US 281/Loop 1604 stack interchange, which actually will be built as part of the Loop 1604 tollway project.  All of the elevated connectors would connect to the Loop 1604 tollway lanes and therefore would be tolled themselves.  On 281, the ramps will connect directly with the expressway lanes, which south of 1604 will be toll-free, but north of 1604 will be tolled.  The existing 281/1604 signalized intersections will remain as the toll-free alternative, but will likely be much less congested as a result of the new interchange.  Northbound motorists that wish to not use the tolled expressway lanes will exit just past 1604 at an expanded exit ramp at Sonterra Blvd.

South of Redland Rd.

At this location, the ramps from the 1604 interchange merge with the 281 expressway lanes, which are tolled.  The addition of the lanes for the 1604 ramps means that 281 will have nine expressway lanes north of this location (four southbound, five northbound.)  Details of the Redland intersection itself are on the next shot below.

At Redland Rd.

This shot gives a better look at the roadway configuration at the Redland intersection.  Note that Redland Rd. will be extended under the 281 expressway lanes to allow access for Redland to and from both directions of 281.  Also note that there are overpasses over Redland for traffic on the toll-free lanes, meaning that through traffic on the toll-free lanes will be able to bypass the new signals at this location.

At Encino Rio

Encino Rio will be truncated at the northbound 281 access road.  Traffic from Encino Rio will turn right onto the access road and then use the new turnaround at Evans to head southbound.  Also at this location are two sets of braided entrance/exit ramps from the tolled expressway lanes.  Note that there are only three southbound expressway lanes from here northward; the entrance ramp at this location adds the fourth southbound lane.  One northbound expressway lane drops at the Evans Rd. exit at this location as well, leaving four northbound lanes.  Another lane drops-off at the exit for Stone Oak just north of Evans.

At Evans Rd.

Here is the view at Evans Rd.  The expressway will have eight through lanes over Evans (with one additional auxiliary lane northbound).  Just north of Evans is the southbound entrance from and the northbound exit to Stone Oak Pkwy. and Marshall Rd.  One southbound lane is added at the entrance and one northbound lane is dropped at the exit, meaning that the expressway will be six lanes northward from there.

At Marshall Rd.

This is one of three locations where the expressway lanes will travel under the intersecting street instead of over it.  From Evans Rd. northward, there are six tolled expressway lanes.  There are also six toll-free through lanes, which is one more lane in each direction than there is today, as well as turnarounds and additional turning lanes at intersections, also improvements over today's configuration.

At BulverdeRd.

Again, this shot shows the various improvements that will be typical at all intersections in the corridor.

At Borgfeld Rd.

Another location where the tolled expressway lanes will pass under the intersecting road.  Just north of this location is the terminus for the tolled expressway lanes.  Northbound, the expressway will end and both the tolled and non-tolled lanes will merge back to a regular divided highway.  Southbound, the expressway will begin and motorists wishing to use the toll-free lanes will exit.