San Antonio residents brace for traffic snarls as two major downtown streets face imminent lane closures for construction. Starting this Monday, March 18, the City plans to shut down the southbound lanes of Santa Rosa Street from Dolorosa to Cesar Chavez, compounding the existing closure of northbound lanes in the same stretch, according to a statement released by the City of San Antonio's Public Works Department..
The full roadway closure of Santa Rosa is part of the broader Zona Cultural Streets 2017 Bond Project, which won't see completion until Spring 2025, while temporary relief in the form of reopened westbound and eastbound traffic on Nueva through Santa Rosa is anticipated by March 26, the entire span of Santa Rosa is expected to reopen come this summer, pedestrian corridors will remain open to ensure foot traffic can access the surrounding structures including the Public Safety Headquarters and Federal Building.
Motorists will also need to adjust their routes on South Alamo Street as northbound lanes from Cesar Chavez to Market are scheduled for closure on the same day, with the city maintaining a single southbound lane, as per the same press release. The South Alamo Street 2017 Bond Project is expected to wrap up a little later, in Winter 2025, and during its duration, right turns onto Nueva from southbound traffic will be off-limits through May.
Pedestrian access along South Alamo Street will stay clear on the east side however traffic will be rerouted to St. Mary’s Street, ensuring that landmarks like La Villita, as well as The Fairmount Hotel, are accessible by foot via Nueva Street and both by foot and car through Presa Street, the city's Public Works Department will not leave locals in the lurch, promising continuous updates via face-to-face visits with residents and business owners, public meetings, email blasts, and well as leveraging both traditional media outlets and social platforms to circulate news on construction progress and traffic changes.
