AAMPO handles disbursements from federal funds
Many attendees at the AAMPO’s Transportation Improvement Study presentation Monday had their hopes dashed after finding fixes for the dangerous Herff Road-River Road intersection aren’t funded until 2032.
The Alamo Area Metropolitan Planning Organization’s session outlined projects on tap for the 2027 and 2028 funding cycles.
“We were really hoping that the (Texas) 46 (Herff Road) project, which (Texas Department of Transportation) put in, would get funded, but it wasn’t shovel-ready, and the MPO wants shovel-ready projects,” said Ty Wolosin, a Boerne councilman.
“The good news is we got a great sidewalk project for almost $3 million, which will be great for our community,” he added.
Matthew Moreno, AAMPO regional transportation planner, confirmed the Herff Road project is in the organization’s next fouryear funding cycle, projected to be in the plans for 2032 for $9 million.
But Wolosin said that $9 million doesn’t begin to address all the traffic problems at Herff and River roads.
Brandon Wheeler, Alamo Area Metropolitan Planning Organization executive director, center, talks about project funding, prior to the start of Monday’s MPO “Mobility Matters” meeting. From left are Katrina Hamrick, Ricky Gleason, Wheeler, Mayor Frank Ritchie and J.C. Taylor. Star photo by Jeff B. Flinn
“Honestly, the $9 million is probably the Band-Aid fix for 46,” the councilman said. “The real fix (is closer to) is probably a $40 million project. The ($9 million) gets that intersection to where people are feeling better about it, but that’s ultimately not the fix needed there.”
He added, “To get that project to where we need is either a huge project or thinking through more creative solutions.”
Meanwhile, the city’s funded sidewalk improvements will be constructed at locations identified through a prior MPO mobility study, in areas focused on East Hosack, West Hosack, West Thiessen and Schweppe streets, Herff and City Park roads, and a small extension of the Old No. 9 Trail.
Two Kendall County projects are being considered for the MPO’s 2027 funding cycle: $563,929 for seal coat and pavement markings for Ammann Road, from 46 to the Kendall County line; and $676,000 for exterior beam replacement, with vehicle deflection wall, at Johns Road at Interstate 10.
Among the projects on the MPO’s 2028 calendar are:
• $15.8 million to expand Cascade Caverns, from the I-10 frontage road to Buckskin Drive, from two to four lanes with a center-turn median, and expand Old San Antonio Road and Scenic Loop Road from two to three lanes.
• $9.949 million for 1.8 miles of construction on Blaschke Road off I-10.
• $2.707 million for turn-lane construction on 46 An MPO is a regional agency created by U.S. law to provide “local direction for urban transportation planning and the allocation of federal transportation funds to urbanized areas with populations greater than 50,000,” according to an online site.
The AAMPO oversees the counties of Bexar, Comal, Guadalupe and a portion of Kendall County.
Moreno said AAMPO was able to fund $260 million worth of projects in the 2027 and 2028 cycles. However, the planning organization fielded requests for more than $1 billion.
In addition, it was announced March 23 that rapid population growth in the area resulted in the county receiving a seat on the AAMPO Transportation Policy Board.
Wolosin has represented Boerne on the TPB for two years; Kendall County Commissioner Andra Wisian is now onboard.
In January, the agency received Gov. Greg Abbott’s approval to expand the study area from 3½ counties to 4½, now including Bexar, Comal, Guadalupe, Kendall and the eastern portion of Medina County.
“With this expansion, Kendall County now has a seat at the table in regional transportation planning, allowing us to pursue more resources and improvements that directly benefit our community,” Kendall County Judge Shane Stolarczyk said.
At its March 10 meeting, Kendall County commissioners reviewed monies awarded to projects through the 2027-2030 Rural Transportation Improvement Program.
These will be the final years for Kendall County to participate in the Rural TIP, now part of the MPO coverage area.
“The good news is we got a great sidewalk project for almost $3 million, which will be great for our community.”
— Tyler Wolosin, Boerne councilman
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