SAN ANTONIO, TX The City of San Antonio broke ground recently on improvements to UTSA Blvd on the southwest side of The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) Main Campus. UTSA President Ricardo Romo joined District 8 Councilman Ron Nirenberg and city officials for the groundbreaking ceremony.

The $7 million city portion of the project will transform UTSA Blvd from Babcock Rd to Edward Ximenes Ave. Improvements include reconstruction of the roadway, expansion of the two existing lanes to four lanes with a raised median and new left turn lanes. Additional improvements will include sidewalks, curbs, a shared used path for pedestrians and bicyclists, as well as upgrades to traffic signals, signs and drainage.

Romo said the improvements will not only accommodate increased traffic to UTSA but make it easier and safer for pedestrians.

"An estimated 8,000 students live within one mile of campus," Romo said. "Many of them walk, bike or ride a skateboard to class. As UTSA expands, it's important to make it safer for students and the community to get to our campus."

"As one of many important projects in District 8, UTSA Boulevard is a key roadway for various daily commuters who live, work and attend classes at UTSA," said Nirenberg. "Multi-modal enhancements will ensure that the commute improves not just for drivers but those who choose to walk and bike as well." 

The work will be done in two phases. The first will be the southern portion of the new roadway. It will take approximately nine months to complete. The second phase is a 10-month project along the north side of the road. During this time, traffic on UTSA Boulevard will be down to one lane in each direction. Side streets and driveways will be impacted during construction as they are being rebuilt. The Texas Department of Transportation is also working to expand UTSA Blvd between Interstate 10 to Edward Ximenes. That construction is expected to be complete in August of next year.