Driving through the streets of San Antonio is turning into a rough ride, with the city revealing an alarming scorecard of failed streets. According to a recent report by FOX San Antonio, a staggering 470 miles of streets have been given an F grade, a sign of serious disrepair. The southeast and downtown areas are bearing the brunt of these conditions, with District 2 on the East side reporting about 80 miles of troubled tarmac—the highest in the city.
Addressing the issue head-on, San Antonio's City Council is cracking down on lackluster road works by rolling out a new ordinance. The legislation takes aim at disqualifying subpar contractors from bidding on future projects. The "responsible bidders ordinance" was passed unanimously, reported by San Antonio Report, empowering city staff to turn away bids from contractors that previously didn't meet deadlines or project expectations.
The ordinance, Councilwoman Melissa Cabello Havrda told San Antonio Report, is intended as a "common sense business practice". It evaluates contractor performance on a scale factoring in timeliness, budget adherence, and quality among other things. Those that score below 70% will face a three-year timeout from city projects.
Reconstruction doesn't come cheap for the city's F-streets, with an estimated cost of "$2 million to completely rehab" each mile, Councilman Jalen McKee-Rodriguez shared in a statement obtained by FOX San Antonio. But there's a bright spot: his district also boasts a number of A-rated streets, a hint at recovery potential.
The council's move comes after enduring multiple road project issues, particularly on the North St. Mary's Strip and other areas. Ensuring contractors stay on their toes, San Antonio has set aside $137 million in this year's budget for revamping the worst streets and maintaining the rest. With 32% of street projects completed this fiscal year, as seen on the city's dashboard, the aim is clear: pave the way for smoother, safer drives through San Antonio.
