Why can't we just build overpasses today?

The Alamo Regional Mobility Authority (Alamo RMA), as part of the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) on US 281, north of Loop 1604 to the Bexar / Comal County line, will be evaluating all options to help provide relief to this congested corridor. Today, without environmental clearance, we are limited in what we can do...but with the EIS, all options are under consideration and will be evaluated without bias. 

Today, it seems obvious that if we just had overpass bridges on 281 to get through the intersections without stopping, all the problems on 281 North would be solved. But let’s take a closer look…

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has never given clearance to an “overpass-only plan” on 281 North. Simply building bridges, without entrance/exit ramps and frontage roads, is not considered a viable solution for these reasons:

• The many businesses and neighborhoods around the intersections would be cut off completely from vehicular traffic without ramps and frontage roads. Entrance/exit ramps must be built to provide access.

• Vehicles traveling over the overpasses will be using a higher rate of speed than those entering the highway beyond the intersections, making driving unsafe. To address this, we must build frontage roads.

• Without environmental clearance in place, we can not add new capacity to US 281 without violating federal law. The Alamo RMA's US 281 EIS study will help regain environmental clearance for new capacity to be added to US 281, if the EIS study utlimately recommends a build alternative. This action could allow for overpasses and new lanes to be built - or any other option for new capacity. 

Areas shaded in red would be cut off from vehicular traffic with only an overpass bridge.

A full expansion of the highway, including frontage roads, entrance/exit ramps and overpass bridges is required on 281 North, mirroring the expansion south of Loop 1604.