New Braunfels gate opens for outbound traffic temporarily

By Steve Elliott
FSH News Leader

The North New Braunfels Avenue gate will open Feb. 15 for outbound traffic during rush hour on weekdays on a temporary basis. Also,starting March 15, approximately 3,500 fewer vehicles a day will be coming in the Walters Street gate.

According to Ray Acuna, operations officer for the 502nd Security Forces Squadron, the North New Braunfels Avenue gate at Grayson Street, next to U.S. Army North headquarters, will be opened for outbound traffic only from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. Mondays through Fridays starting Feb. 15.

Acuna added that approximately 3,500 vehicles that have been entering the Walters Street gate daily for parking, due to construction near Brooke Army Medical Center, will be returning to that area as the new BAMC multi-level parking garage is scheduled to open March 15.

“Use caution when exiting Fort Sam Houston, as there is a traffic light that will be controlling the exiting traffic, as well as the turning movements from North New Braunfels Avenue to Grayson Street and from Grayson Street to North New Braunfels Avenue,” Acuna said.

“This is a temporary gate opening while construction is going on for the Walters Street entry control point.”

This is being done in an effort to divert some traffic away from the construction area on Walters Street between   that gate and Interstate 35.

As reported in the Oct. 28, 2010 edition of the Fort Sam Houston News Leader, this area is receiving a $4,185,031.75 facelift, thanks to a contract awarded to Yantis Company by the San Antonio City Council, which approved an ordinance Aug. 5 for the   project.

The project will widen Walters Street from four to six lanes, with a raised median including curbs, sidewalks, driveway approaches, bike lanes, turn lanes at major intersections and necessary drainage improvements.

This project is funded through the City’s 2007-2012 Bond Program, Local Agency Managed (LAM) funds and the Metropolitan Planning Organization. Funding partners include the Texas Department of Transportation, San Antonio Water System, and CPS Energy.

CPS Energy will replace gas piping for a section of the project. SAWS will upgrade sewer and water lines for a section.

“Fort Sam Houston at Joint Base San Antonio continues to experience challenges with traffic congestion on and off the installation roadways,” 502nd Air Base Wing commander Brig. Gen. Leonard Patrick wrote in a letter dated Jan. 12, which was sent to San Antonio District 2 Councilwoman Ivy R. Taylor. Her district encompasses the eastern area around Fort Sam Houston. “There are two construction projects currently underway that are impacting our ability to circulate traffic in a timely manner.

“These projects are the Walters Street reconstruction, which began in October 2010, and the replacement of the Scott Road entry control point, which began in November 2010,” the letter continued. “As the projects are scheduled to be completed in May 2012, I expect congestion issues to continue for the next 18 months.

“The 502nd Mission Support Group has developed this solution requiring a temporary opening of our North New Braunfels Avenue gate, which should divert traffic from Walter Street and provide another avenue for motorists,” Patrick said, outlining the plan for the North New Braunfels Avenue gate.

“Joint Base San Antonio will work closely with the (San Antonio)city engineering staff to ensure all community concerns are addressed.”

Col. Mary Garr, 502nd MSG commander, met with Taylor Jan. 25 and talked about the proposed temporary gate opening.

“She understands our position,” Garr said. “We also talked about congestion at all the Fort Sam Houston gates, including George Beach and Binz Engleman and also what we are discussing with City Public Works to mitigate both short term and long term. City engineers and Public Works have assured us that they can support it as well.”

“In light of the anticipated traffic pattern changes as a result of construction, it was a wise decision to provide limited access from the New Braunfels Street gate,” Taylor said.

At another location on Fort Sam Houston, the construction of troop walk crossings near the Medical Education and Training Campus will cause some road closures and detours, according to Mark Boenisch of the 502nd Civil Engineering Squadron’s Programs Flight.

“Locations that will be affected include Garden Avenue south of McGee Road, between the NCO academy and the unit chapel,” Boenisch said.

“This construction will be accomplished with one lane closed at all times and will be monitored by temporary traffic signals. One-lane traffic will be maintained 24/7 with these signals.”

In addition, Scott Road will have two crosswalks installed between Harney and Hardee Roads, Boenisch added.

Southbound traffic will be maintained throughout the construction and northbound traffic will be detoured via Harney east, North on Patch and west on McGee and then back to Scott.

“The construction of these crosswalks will begin Feb. 15 and are expected to take from two to three weeks,” Boenisch said. “This is to allow crews to construct one lane at a time and allow for proper curing of the underlying concrete with maintaining traffic flows through the areas.”

 

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