The holiday season could become a bit more challenging for San Antonio residents and visitors as ongoing construction projects are expected to make shopping trips and travel a test of patience. FOX San Antonio reported that with road closures near major shopping areas like La Cantera and alternating lane closures on the city's West Side, locals are bracing for added congestion. "The holidays, the normal growth of the city that you know. The normal traffic around here is just unbearable," resident Arturo Bermea shared with the outlet.
This squeeze on San Antonio's streets comes at a time when AAA spokesperson Daniel Armbruster predicts more than 9 million people will be on the roads between December 23rd and January 1st. "Maybe that you need to look for an alternate route," Armbruster advised in a statement obtained by FOX San Antonio. Meanwhile, the Texas Department of Transportation (TXDOT) has not confirmed whether any pauses in the projects will occur during the busy weeks leading up to Christmas.
In a related development, the city is gearing up for a significant improvement to San Antonio International Airport with the hiring of Hensel Phelps Construction Company to manage the construction of a new terminal. As reported by KSAT, the San Antonio City Council granted a green light for a contract valued at $1 billion, set to materialize into a 17-gate terminal and pertinent upgrades, including a ground transportation center.
Despite the broad scope of the airport expansion project, travelers should encounter minimal interruption, as most work will take place away from the current facilities. "There's not going to be a whole lot of impact to the passengers...It's largely going to be separated," Gary Perrin, operations manager for Hensel Phelps, told KSAT reporters. The ambitious project aims for an opening year of 2028, with construction set to kick off in late 2024.
While the city awarded the primary contract to Hensel Phelps, opportunities still abound for local subcontractors to get a piece of the action. "The remaining is some of the 20 to 25 projects that will be bid out competitively, enabling opportunities for local participation," said Jesus Saenz Jr., San Antonio Director of Airports. Hensel Phelps, following up on previous settlements involving subcontracting fraud, has indicated an eagerness to partner with local firms, suggesting a constructive path forward for the San Antonio business community as the airport gears up for a major makeover.
