San Antonio commuters are in for a bumpy ride on Dividend Road, as the city calls on Union Pacific for better maintenance of railroad crossings plagued by potholes. Drivers have been navigating the hazardous terrain for "at least two years," causing significant damage to vehicles, including two $260 front left tires for one local motorist, John Lackness, who drives the area weekly. This frustration compounds with the upcoming road closures detailed by TxDOT.
The rough crossings, located on an industrial stretch near warehouses for Mission Foods San Antonio and Direct Source Meats, have become notorious among truck drivers who have learned to skillfully dodge the potholes. Yet, proposed solutions might lay tracks for smoother commutes as Union Pacific pledges to address the Dividend Road and Corporation Street crossings this month. This commitment comes alongside Union Pacific's plan to invest $1.9 billion in infrastructure upgrades across the U.S., part of a larger $3.4 billion capital investment program for 2024, as stated in a San Antonio Report interview with Mike Jaixen, spokesperson for the rail company.
Meanwhile, drivers should brace themselves for several road closings in San Antonio this December, courtesy of TxDOT. Cutthroat construction will span from Loop 1604 at Hausman Road to Chase Hill Boulevard, with a myriad of closures, including full intersection shutdowns and alternating lane and turnaround closures primarily scheduled during nighttime hours, excluding weekends.
"This crossing has not come up during our meetings but we have asked the public works department to add this to our list," Jaixen told the San Antonio Report. The city's partnership with Union Pacific aims to tackle not only the disfigured asphalt but also issues like illegal dumping and overgrown brush near tracks. District 2 Councilman Jalen McKee-Rodriguez hopes the council consideration request filed this February will help to explore more effective maintenance collaborations.
By addressing these concerns, the city hopes to make a significant dent in the commuter woes tied to infrastructure degradation and construction-induced traffic snarls. With continuous dialogue and an infusion of capital, San Antonio's streets might just become a little kinder to its drivers, according to the information in the respective articles from the San Antonio Report and the closure list provided by KSAT.
