US 281 from Loop 1604 to Borgfeld Drive

TxDOT is moving forward with plans to improve an 8-mile stretch of US 281 from Loop 1604 to Borgfeld Drive in Bexar County. The US 281 North project involves the construction of non-toll General Purpose Lanes, HOV/Transit Lanes and frontage roads. Bicycle and pedestrian facilities will also be provided. The US 281 improvements will connect directly to and from VIA’s new US 281 Park & Ride at Stone Oak Parkway, planned to begin construction later this year. The US 281 improvements will provide two general purpose lanes and one HOV lane in each direction. Additional improvements include:

• Bicycle and pedestrian facilities
• Direct connection to the new VIA Metropolitan Transit US 281 Park & Ride at Stone Oak Parkway (planned to begin construction in late 2016)
• Two general purpose lanes and one HOV lane in each direction
• Necessary transition and auxiliary lanes
• Remaining four interchange direct connectors at Loop 1604

Segments

US 281 will be constructed in two segments:

• Segment 1: Loop 1604 to North of Stone Oak Parkway
• Segment 2: North of Stone Oak Parkway to Borgfeld Drive

Project schedule (preliminary)

• July 2015: Environmental Impact Statement Record of Decision (six-lane expressway with managed [tolled] lanes)
• September 2015: Non-toll designation for US 281 by Texas Transportation Commission and Alamo Area MPO (six-lane expressway with non-toll HOV lanes; TxDOT assumes responsibility for the project from the Alamo RMA)
• September 2015: Environmental Reevaluation (Traffic updates, revisions to design, noise and air analysis, validity of the environmental decision)
• November 2015: Statewide Passage of Proposition 7 (Additional funding available for non-toll highway improvements)
• January 2016: TxDOT begins final design on Segment 1
• August 2016: VIA breaks ground on 281 Park & Ride
• Summer 2017: 281 Park & Ride opens
• 2017: Construction begins on Segment 1
• 2019: Construction begins on Segment 2
• 2021: Segment 1 opens to Traffic
• 2022: Segment 2 opens to Traffic

Project updates

Project updates will be distributed by email as they are available. If you are interested in receiving updates, please send an email with “Updates on US 281” in the request.

Public involvement

TxDOT hosted an open house on Thursday, May 12, 2016. Information about the change to non-tolled, general purpose lanes and HOV/Transit Lanes and updated construction timeframes is included in the “Documentation of Public Meeting - May 12, 2016” below.