Location
Bandera Rd. (SH 16) from Loop 1604 to Diamond K Trail

Description
This project will convert Bandera Rd. to a superstreet from just outside Loop 1604 to just south of FM 1560 South by converting the intersections at Hausman/Leslie and Cedar Trail to restricted-crossing intersections, adding signalized turnarounds at multiple intermediate locations, and closing the crossover at Diamond K Trail. This project will also construct a new signalized left turn from northbound Bandera Rd. to Legend Trail and will expand the southbound Bandera left turn to Hausman to two lanes.

The restricted-crossing intersections will prevent traffic on Leslie/Hausman and Cedar Trail from going straight or turning left. Instead, all traffic will make a right turn, then use a signalized turnaround about 1000 feet downstream to make a U-turn and continue in the intended direction of travel. Left turns from Bandera Rd. to those cross streets will still be allowed. To better visualize this, click on the "turning movements diagram" below.

This project will also build an underground storm drainage system and will include sidewalks throughout.

The intersection at FM 1560 South was converted to a superstreet configuration in 2018, and the intersection at Loop 1604 was converted to a displaced left turn (DLT) in 2019, so this will close the gap between these two improved intersections and complete the master plan for this section of Bandera Rd. TxDOT plans to eventually continue the superstreet configuration all the way to Triana Pkwy.

A superstreet is also known by the more technical nomenclature of "restricted crosssing U-turn" (RCUT) intersection.

Click above to see a simplified diagram of how drivers will make a left turn at each intersection

How this project will help
The Hausman/Leslie intersection experiences significant to severe recurring congestion during both the morning and evening rush hours. By eliminating the through-traffic and left-turns on Leslie/Hausman and Cedar Trail, the green time required for those movements can instead be combined with the left turn green time for traffic turning from Bandera onto those streets. That essentially eliminates the green time needed to service the cross streets, meaning more green time can be allocated to the remaining movements, which therefore moves more traffic through the intersection in the same period of time. This configuration is expected to provide good long-term congestion mitigation based on 20-year traffic projections.

For a further explanation on how a superstreet functions and how it improves traffic flow, see the main superstreets page.

Although it's currently not as congested, converting the Cedar Trail intersection is necessary to provide continuity of improvement. If the Cedar Trail intersection were not also converted, then it would soon become a bottleneck due to the improved throughput on either side of it.

The new left turn at Legend Trail will provide better access to the Stanton Run neighborhood from northbound Bandera Rd. That traffic today must make a U-turn at Cedar Trail and a U-turn at that location will not be possible after the conversion. Since a turnaround for southbound Bandera Rd. was necessary at that location anyway, the left turn to Legend Trail was a sensible addition.

Closing the crossover at Diamond K Trail is necessary as it has become a dangerous crossover location and will be more so in the future, and direct crossovers like this within a superstreet segment negate the improvements afforded by the superstreet. 

Circle A Trail intersection: With the previous project to realign the FM 1560 South intersection, the intersection at Circle A Trail was changed to a right-in/right-out configuration (i.e. no left turns or crossovers.) This was done to streamline traffic operations in the area as that intersection is fairly close to the new FM 1560 intersection. This has understandably caused some consternation and grousing among residents of Helotes Park Estates who are now required to make a right turn and proceed to a turnaround 1/4th of a mile away in order to go south on Bandera, adding about 1/2 mile to their trip. (Some conspiracy-minded residents have even absurdly asserted that this configuration is retaliatory in some way.)

As part of the planning for the upcoming project, TxDOT asked their consultants to re-evaluate the Circle A Trail intersection to determine if it would be feasible to allow left turns from Circle A to southbound Bandera. While certainly technically possible, the analysis showed that doing so would be problematic from an overall operational standpoint. With a superstreet, the signals on each direction of the corridor operate independently and therefore can be better timed for the respective traffic volumes, thus resulting in better overall traffic flow and fewer delays for both directions of travel. Converting the Circle A intersection to allow left turns would require the signals for northbound and southbound Bandera at that location to be interdependent, thus causing negative impacts to coordination of the signals in one or both directions, especially during peak periods when traffic volumes are unbalanced. Those negative impacts would initially partially cancel-out the benefits of the superstreet, and those impacts would increase over time as traffic in the corridor increases. There were also safety issues with reintroducing left turn conflicts at one location in a corridor that otherwise will not have any. The negative impacts to the overall corridor operation were significant enough to outweigh the benefits for a relatively small volume of traffic.

It's worth noting that reducing congestion along Bandera benefits the residents of Helotes Park Estates and should reduce their overall travel time in the corridor even if they are somewhat inconvenienced, and that there are many locations where drivers are required to go a little out of their way for the benefit of overall efficiency and safety.

• This looks confusing. It will cause lots of crashes.
  This is always one of the first knee-jerk assertions made when an unconventional intersection is introduced. With any change-- even more conventional changes such as new signals or lanes-- it naturally takes drivers a little time to adapt. With a superstreet, because all traffic on the intersecting street is forced to turn right, most confusion is quickly overcome instinctively once the driver has turned or as the driver follows other more experienced drivers through the intersection. Additionally, because all traffic is flowing in the same direction and is protected by signals, the likelihood of collisions is substantially reduced, even during the adjustment period. Superstreets also inherently improve safety by reducing conflict points (the point where vehicle paths cross) by half.
  
  Statistics for superstreets show improved safety. A study for the North Carolina DOT showed that superstreets reduced traffic collisions by 46% and decreased crashes with injuries by 63%. A study of superstreet intersections in Missouri showed a 54% reduction in injury and fatal crashes. Many people predicted mayhem at the Bandera/1604 displaced left-turn intersection, but crashes decreased 44% during the first nine months after it was completed.
  


• How does this crazy design improve traffic? How does adding even more traffic signals help?
  This intersection design improves traffic because, by forcing all traffic on the cross street to turn right, the green time for that can be overlapped with the green time for traffic turning left from Bandera onto the cross street. This essentially eliminates the green time that would be needed for the through and left turn movements on the cross street, so that time can then be reallocated to the remaining movements, thus moving more traffic through the intersection in the same amount of time. Although there are extra signals, they are all much more efficient and are better coordinated. See the "How a superstreet works" section of the main superstreets page for a deeper explanation of the superstreet "secret sauce".
  
  
• All they have to do is adjust the signal timing and that will solve the problem.
  It's a common belief that congestion can be solved by simply adjusting the signal timing. In some specific cases, that can be true, but at a very busy intersection like this where there has to be sufficient green time for eight different movements on every cycle, the signals can only be optimized so much before the laws of physics win. For example, the green time on Hausman could be extended to help clear out the peak period backups that occur there, but that means the light will stay red longer for Bandera, which then increases the congestion there. If the green time on Bandera is then increased to ease those backups, that means the light will stay red longer for Hausman and you're right back where you started. So as you can see, it's really not as easy as it sounds.
  
  
• This causes people to have to go out of their way, which is inconvenient and will require more time to get across Bandera Rd.
  Some folks understandably are peeved that to turn left or go straight on the cross street requires going out of one's way to accomplish, and think that doing so will increase travel time. While the former is true and will always be perceived as an inconvenience by many drivers, wait times in general should be shorter and overall congestion in the area reduced. As a result, travel time through the intersection should typically be shorter or no longer than it would be at a conventional intersection even with the added time necessary to use the turnaround. Also keep in mind that there are many other examples where traffic wanting to make a left turn is prohibited from doing so due to a median, freeway, or one-way street and must therefore turn right first, then make a downstream U-turn or series of left turns, so this situation is not unprecedented or unique to superstreets. In fact, this has already been the case along much of this section of Bandera Rd. due to the existing median.
  
  
• This will increase emergency response times in the area.
  TxDOT worked with the City of Helotes to mitigate concerns with response times. As a result, some adjustments to the plans were made including an emergency vehicle median crossover at Hausman/Leslie, and additional pavement at the northwest corner of that intersection to facilitate a turnaround for emergency vehicles. Again, it's worth noting that long stretches of Bandera today do not have crossovers, and after the aforementioned adjustments, the only crossover being lost for emergency vehicles is at Diamond K Trail, which is being mitigated by ensuring that emergency vehicles will be able to make a U-turn at Hausman/Leslie.
  
  
• If I'm headed south on FM 1560 (Hausman Rd.) and want to go to Wal-Mart, Starbucks, Bill Miller's, or O'Connor High School, or head southbound on Bandera Rd., how do I get there?
  At Bandera Rd., you'll turn right, travel about 1000 feet to a turnaround (just past Little Caesar's Pizza), then head southbound on Bandera where you can turn right at Bill Miller's, Leslie Rd. (for O'Connor HS), Starbucks, or Wal-Mart, or continue straight on southbound Bandera. To return to Hausman Rd. from Bill Miller's, O'Connor, Starbucks, or Wal-Mart, you'll turn right onto Bandera Rd. and use a turnaround just past Wal-Mart to return to Hausman Rd.
  
  
• Why not build overpasses instead?
  Across the country, traffic engineers have discovered that innovative intersections like this can produce good congestion relief and safety at a fraction of the cost and construction time of flyovers and other traditional grade-separated solutions. This allows the limited transportation dollars to be saved and used for other needed projects.
  
  The current and future traffic volumes and safety considerations along Bandera Rd. aren't sufficient to justify the construction of overpasses or conversion to a freeway, but they are in the "sweet spot" to support a superstreet. Furthermore, the right-of-way along Bandera Rd. is not wide enough for overpasses or a freeway, so the cost would be considerably higher as additional right-of-way would have to be obtained, which likely would result in the displacement of many businesses.
  
  
• Why are there signals to leave the turnarounds?
  This is to prevent slower moving vehicles from entering the faster traffic stream and causing conflicts that could result in collisions or congestion. 
  
  
• Will the Circle A Trail intersection be changed to allow left turns again?
  No, that intersection is outside the scope of this project. TxDOT did re-evaluate this intersection when planning this project; see the discussion of this in the "How this project will help" section above.
  
  
• Are there any other superstreets in San Antonio?
  Yes, there have been two superstreet segments in San Antonio. One was on US 281 north of Loop 1604 and the other was nearby on Loop 1604 between Braun Rd. and Culebra Rd. Both were built as short-term solutions while funding for freeway expansions was obtained. The Loop 1604 superstreet was replaced by a freeway in 2016, and the US 281 superstreet has now also been replaced by a freeway. Unlike the 281 and 1604 superstreets, which were built as short-term fixes, the superstreet in Helotes is considered a long-term solution. A superstreet was also considered for Bandera Rd. inside Loop 1604, but has been tabled while a new corridor study is conducted.
  
  
• I heard that the US 281 superstreet was removed was because it was not working well, so why build one here?
  There have been plans to upgrade US 281 to a freeway since 2000. However, lawsuits by anti-toll activists and environmentalists and a resulting requirement to conduct a lengthly environmental study delayed the project for nearly two decades. In 2009, with congestion reaching severe levels, a superstreet was proposed as a short-term "band-aid" to help provide some relief, which it did until construction on the freeway was finally able to get started in 2017. The traffic volumes on US 281 exceed what a superstreet can optimally handle, so a superstreet would never have been planned as a permanent solution there. However, the current and projected traffic volumes on Bandera Rd. are in the "sweet spot" for a superstreet to have a significant long-term positive impact. For comparison, traffic volumes on the section of US 281 with the superstreet ranged from 55,000 at Marshall Rd. to 100,000 at Redland Rd., while on Bandera they range from 26,000 just west of FM 1560 South to 43,000 at Loop 1604.
  
  
• Who came up with this cockamamie design? This won't work and is just a waste of money.
  The superstreet design has been used in several US states for the past couple of decades and has a proven track record of improving traffic wherever it has been implemented. Both the US 281 and Loop 1604 superstreets showed appreciable improvments, and computer modeling shows that this superstreet will do the same. A superstreet is one of several types of "innovative" or "alternative" intersection designs being implemented across the country at intersections where improvements from conventional expansions will be short-lived but where conditions do not warrant more expensive traditional upgrades such as flyovers. Many people expressed similar doubts about the nearby Bandera/1604 DLT intersection, but the new design has substantially reduced congestion and crashes there.
  

Schematic
Click on the image below to open the detailed schematic for this project from TxDOT with my own annotations added to help clarify and explain the various elements. The schematic will open in a new window that you can scroll and zoom. 

DETAILED PROJECT SCHEMATIC

Click above to see the detailed annotated schematic for this project

Video
For more details on this project, see this informational video from TxDOT.

	TxDOT - Virtual Public Meeting - SH 16 Helotes https://www.txdot.gov/inside-txdot/get-involved/about/hearings-meetings/san-antonio/063020.html
	TxDOT - SH 16 Helotes Proposed Roadway Improvement video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sY97-816VAY&feature=youtu.be
	Pape-Dawson "Superstreets in Texas" presentation https://drive.google.com/file/d/16b1w_qy_D8A2U_ZWhkG8jtkPZFqcNXlm/view
	Wikipedia - Superstreet https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Superstreet
	Federal Highway Administration - Restricted Crossing U-Turn Intersection Informational Guide https://safety.fhwa.dot.gov/intersection/alter_design/pdf/fhwasa14070_rcut_infoguide.pdf
	An Update on Superstreet Implementation and Research http://www.accessmanagement.info/AM08/AM0807Hummer/AM0807Hummer.pdf
	NC Department of Transportation presentation on superstreets (excellent explanation of all aspects of superstreets) https://www.partnc.org/DocumentCenter/View/331/NCDOT-Superstreet-Presentation-PDF