Alamo Area MPO takes part in U.S. 281 Press Conference

Wednesday, September 16, 2015 - This morning, Alamo Area MPO Chairman Councilman Ray Lopez took part in a press conference announcing the MPO's unanimous support for the expansion of U.S. 281, from Loop 1604 to Borgfeld Road, as a non-toll project. Chairman Lopez stressed the importance of the role of the MPO in bringing together regional leaders and perspectives to work together to solve the transportation challenges facing the region.


During the Monday, September 14, 2015 meeting of the Transportation Policy Board a resolution was passed supporting a non-toll US 281 expansion, including the incorporation of an HOV lane in each direction. This HOV lane will have direct access into a new 400 space parking garage being built by VIA at Stone Oak and US 281.

The expansion of US 281 will result in a doubling of capacity on this corridor, including adding continuous frontage road lanes to help local traffic access businesses and neighborhoods while thru traffic will be able to use the new non-toll mainlines.

MPO Chairman Ray Lopez speaking
during the US 281 Press Conference
hosted by SAMCo. 

"The region is not just San Antonio, nor just Bexar County," said Chairman Lopez. "It is the community in and around, to the north, south, east and west." Chairman Lopez also discussed the work being undertaken by the MPO to help prioritize additional projects in anticipate of Proposition 7 being successful on the November ballot. "Similar to what we did at the MPO in advance of Proposition 1, we want to be able to have projects ready to go should Proposition 7 be passed so we can keep our region moving."

Hosted by the San Antonio Mobility Coalition, the press conference featured remarks from the Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives, the Honorable Joe Straus; Bexar County Judge Nelson W. Wolff; City of San Antonio Mayor Ivy R. Taylor; VIA / ATD Chair, and former Texas Secretary of State, Hope Andrade, Texas Transportation Commissioner J. Bruce Bugg, Jr, and MPO Chairman Ray Lopez, who also represents City Council District 6 for the City of San Antonio.

To see video from the press conference, please click here. Note the entire press conference is approximately 40 minutes in length.