Drivers along FM 1560 in northwest Bexar County have watched a once-quick trip turn into a slog, with some three-mile stretches now taking as long as 30 minutes to drive. The Texas Department of Transportation is planning to widen the road from two lanes to four, adding a center turn lane, bike lanes and sidewalks along the roughly five-mile stretch between Bandera Road and Culebra Road.
The project aims to address increasing traffic demands and improve safety between SH 16 and FM 471, according to a TxDOT statement reported by KSAT. Traffic volumes in the area are projected to double over the next 20 years, per TxDOT, as suburban growth continues to reshape the Far Westside. TxDOT also plans to improve intersections along the route as part of the work, and utility work connected to the project has already begun, though the agency has said drivers should not expect to see major construction start until the new year.
Frustration Builds Behind the Wheel
Drivers in northwest Bexar County describe traffic on FM 1560 as increasingly frustrating, with long waits at traffic lights, difficulty exiting nearby neighborhoods, and drivers cutting each other off as congestion mounts. Isaiah Garcia said traffic is bad from lunchtime to 9 p.m. One unnamed driver said traffic has gotten noticeably worse over the past several years.
Richard, a Bexar County homeowner, said the improvements are overdue as development continues to bring more people to the area. That sentiment tracks with U.S. Census Bureau estimates showing ZIP code 78254 along the corridor reached a population of approximately 78,865 residents, reflecting explosive suburban growth across San Antonio's Far Westside, according to Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation filings.
Why the Corridor Was Flagged as a Safety Priority
Bexar County's Comprehensive Safety Action Plan designated FM 1560 North as a high-priority safety corridor, citing rapid suburban development and heavy stop-and-go congestion as key risk factors for high-speed and rear-end collisions. The Alamo Area Metropolitan Planning Organization had previously approved $54.1 million for widening FM 1560 between Galm/Shaenfield Road and SH 16 as part of its 2023-2026 Transportation Improvement Program. Those safety concerns aren't abstract: a three-person injury crash involving a suspected intoxicated driver occurred on the corridor on August 30, as Hoodline reported in its piece on the drunk-driving crash that injured three.
What the Widened Road Will Look Like
Design specifications for the corridor call for four travel lanes, a 14-foot-wide continuous left-turn lane or raised median, 5-foot dedicated bike lanes, and 6-foot sidewalks on both sides, with intersection realignments planned at Antonio Drive and Iron Horse Way, according to TxDOT project schematics. The state's right-of-way along FM 1560 will expand from its typical 80-foot width to 120 feet, though official public hearing records state that no residential or commercial buildings are expected to be displaced.
TxDOT issued a State Let Construction Contract notice in March setting the official agency construction cost estimate at $108.5 million across a 781-working-day execution schedule, according to records reviewed by HigherGov. Filings registered with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation establish the project's official state start date as September 11, with completion estimated through August 2030, covering 183,449 square feet of roadway.
More Roadwork Ahead for Far Westside Commuters
FM 1560 isn't the only corridor under the knife in northwest Bexar County. TxDOT is concurrently widening FM 471, also known as Culebra Road, from SH 211 to Old FM 471 from two to four divided lanes with a new SH 211 overpass, a project scheduled for completion in early 2027. The FM 1560 expansion also connects into TxDOT's broader $1.4 billion Loop 1604 North Expansion project, which is widening 23 miles of the outer beltway from four to ten lanes between SH 16 and I-35 through 2028.
For drivers already navigating the daily grind on FM 1560, that means years of overlapping construction before relief arrives. But for residents like Richard, watching neighborhoods fill in faster than the roads can keep up, the long-awaited widening can't come soon enough.
