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San Antonio Area Freeway System
Wurzbach Parkway

This page last updated February 6, 2024

Wurzbach Pkwy highlight map
Wurzbach Pkwy highlight map

This page covers the Wurzbach Parkway in North San Antonio.

Length: 12 miles



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On this page:

Overview Roadway
details
Lanes Access
roads
       
Exits Speed
limits
Special features
and notes
Traffic
       
Media
gallery
Construction
projects
Future
plans
History
       

Overview

The Wurzbach Parkway is an east-west "super-arterial" across northern San Antonio connecting I‑35 to I‑10. Prior to its completion, there were no true east-west arterials between Loop 410 and Loop 1604 across the North Side. As a result, Loop 410, Loop 1604, and many of the zig-zagged arterials in the area were overburdened trying to facilitate shorter-distance east-west traffic. Wurzbach Parkway was built to facilitate many of those shorter east-west trips across the North Side, although it can and often is used for longer through-traffic journeys.

The parkway was developed under the now-retired Principal Arterial Street System (PASS) program and carries a TxDOT route number of PA 1502. Prior to 2014, this route number was not signed, and it seems to be the only PASS route in the state to be signed as such. (Technically, the "PA" in the route number is short for Principal Arterial, not Parkway, although that also works.)

The route passes through a variety of urban land uses. The eastern end of the route passes through a light commercial and industrial area before entering the former Longhorn Quarry, which has been redeveloped as an entertainment district with an amusement park, high school football stadium, and soccer complex including the home stadium for San Antonio's professional team. The parkway then passes through the commercial, residential, and light industrial areas around Perrin-Beitel and Nacogdoches roads before passing over an active quarry near Wetmore Rd.

Continuing west, the parkway passes through mostly undeveloped land and parkland near the airport before passing into a light industrial and commercial area. Approaching US 281, the parkway passes over the wooded Salado Creek for a short distance. West of US 281, the route continues through a mostly undeveloped area before passing over a flood control basin. Near Blanco Rd., the route traverses residential areas before bisecting Hardberger Park where a land bridge connecting the two sides of the park opened in late 2020. Commercial and residential development line the route at the far western end where it merges into the pre-existing Wurzbach Road.


Roadway details

The parkway features four and six lanes with a concrete divider. Along the original sections, a raised island separated the opposing flows; the concrete divider was added atop the island in 2010 after a series of head-on crashes. (A safety improvement project now underway is removing the raised island, leaving just the concrete divider.)

Access to local streets and driveways is limited and there are overpasses at most major intersections. While it has the general appearance and function of a narrow freeway, the route is technically classified as a "super-arterial" rather than a freeway and, as such, the road is a hybrid between a major arterial street and minor expressway.

While most of the parkway is controlled-access, the eastern and western ends each have two at-grade, signalized intersections; these are intended to provide a controlled transition from quasi-freeway conditions to the signalized surface roadways that the parkway connects to on either end.

At the far eastern end, the parkway crosses Weidner Rd. at a signalized, at-grade intersection and then ends at a signalized intersection where it merges with the pre-existing O'Connor Rd. Through traffic can then continue east on O'Connor the short distance to I‑35.

The western end meets NW Military Hwy. and Lockhill-Selma Rd. at signalized, at-grade intersections before tying-into the pre-existing Wurzbach Rd. where through traffic can continue west to I‑10 and beyond. Improvements were made to that section of Wurzbach to support the anticipated increases in traffic from the completed parkway, and additional improvements are being considered.

There are currently no direct connectors to US 281. Instead, traffic destined to US 281 exits the parkway and uses the US 281 access roads. Traffic wanting to make a "left turn" from the parkway onto US 281 instead turns right onto the US 281 access road, then makes a U‑turn at the next downstream turnaround (i.e Bitters Rd. or Nakoma Dr.) Initial plans considered two possible interchange designs including an elevated roundabout or a mixed flyover and cloverleaf interchange, but funding limitations, traffic projections, and additional restrictions caused by the proximity to San Antonio International Airport's runways caused those plans to be shelved. TxDOT has indicated they may study an interchange again if future traffic volumes warrant.

LANES
Wurzbach Pkwy lanes map
  • 6 lanes from O'Connor Rd. to Perrin Beitel Rd. with a short four lane section through the Thousand Oaks Dr. interchange
  • 4 lanes from Perrin Beitel Rd. to Nacogdoches Rd.
  • 6 lanes from Nacogdoches Rd. to US 281 with short four lane sections through the Wetmore Rd. and Jones-Maltsberger Rd. interchanges
  • 5 lanes (3 eastbound, 2 westbound) over US 281
  • 4 lanes from US 281 to West Ave.
  • 6 lanes from West Ave. to Lockhill-Selma Rd. with short 4 and 5 lanes sections through the Vista Del Norte/Blanco Rd. interchange
Wurzbach Pkwy lanes map
   
ACCESS ROADS
Wurzbach Pkwy access roads map
  • There are no continuous access roads along the parkway except for the segment between US 281 and West Ave.
Wurzbach Pkwy access roads map
   
EXITS

EASTBOUND from Lockhill-Selma:

  • Alon Loop
  • Alon Market driveway (x2)
  • FM 1535/NW Military Hwy.
  • Barshop Jewish Community Center
  • FM 2696/Blanco Rd.
  • Vista Del Norte Dr.
  • West Ave.
  • US 281
  • Jones-Maltsberger Rd.
  • Bitters Recycling Center
  • Starcrest Dr.
  • Wetmore Rd.
  • Nacogdoches Rd.
  • FM 2252/Perrin-Beitel Rd.
  • Heros Stadium/Tool Yard
  • Thousand Oaks Dr.
  • Turnaround
  • Weidner Rd.
  • Tech Com Dr.
  • Parkway ends at O'Connor Rd./Crosswinds Way

WESTBOUND from O'Connor Rd./Crosswinds Way:

  • Weidner Rd.
  • Thousand Oaks Dr.
  • Heros Stadium
  • FM 2252/Perrin-Beitel Rd.
  • Nacogdoches Rd.
  • Wetmore Rd.
  • McAllister Park
  • Starcrest Dr.
  • Jones-Maltsberger Rd.
  • US 281
  • West Ave.
  • Vista Del Norte Dr.
  • FM 2696/Blanco Rd.
  • Bluffton Oaks
  • FM 1535/NW Military Hwy.
  • Inverness Blvd.
  • Parkway ends at Lockhill-Selma and becomes Wurzbach Rd.
 
SPEED LIMITS
Wurzbach Pkwy speed limit map
  • 45 mph between O'Connor Rd.and Weidner Rd.
  • 60 mph between Weidner Rd. and Blanco Rd.
  • 50 mph between Blanco Rd. and NW Military Hwy.
  • 45 mph between NW Military Hwy. and Lockhill-Selma Rd.

After completion, sections were initially signed at 45 mph because of TxDOT engineering policies for roadways that include curbs, sidewalks, and bike lanes. Speed studies were subsequently performed and supported an increase to the current limits.

Wurzbach Pkwy speed limit map
   
SPECIAL FEATURES AND NOTES
Wurzbach Pkwy special features map
  • Multiple "right-in/right-out" turnoffs
  • No directional interchange at US 281. Instead, traffic exits and makes a right turn to the US 281 access roads.
  • Bike lanes westbound from Perrin-Beitel Rd. to Jones-Maltsberger Rd. and from West Ave. to Lockhill-Selma Rd.; eastbound from Lockhill-Selma Rd. to Blanco Rd., along Vista Del Norte Dr. from Blanco Rd. back to Wurzbach Parkway, then from Vista Del Norte Dr. to West Ave. and from Starcrest Dr. to Perrin-Beitel Rd.
  • Salado Creek Greenway hike/bike trail runs adjacent to eastbound parkway between Jones-Maltsberger Rd. and Starcrest Dr. Trail also passes under the parkway at three locations: at US 281, west of Jones-Maltsberger, and east of Starcrest.
  • Sidewalk adjacent to westbound parkway between Wetmore Rd. and Starcrest Dr.
Wurzbach Pkwy special features map
   
TRAFFIC
Wurzbach Pkwy traffic map

With the completion of the middle segment of the parkway in 2015, traffic counts have increased substantially throughout the corridor over the past decade.

Peak period recurring congestion occurs on each end of the corridor during the afternoon peak period: westbound approaching NW Military Hwy., and eastbound approaching O'Connor Rd.


Traffic volume legend
Wurzbach Pkwy traffic map
   
AVERAGE DAILY TRAFFIC
LOCATION 2002 2012 2017 2019 2021 2022 '12-'22
% CHG
E of Weidner Rd. 6,700 15,800 25,465 25,332 20,168 23,436 +48.33%
E of Perrin-Beitel Rd. 20,000 26,000 40,769 53,821 38,522 37,424 +43.94%
E of Wetmore Rd. 26,000 20,000 41,685 49,197 37,636 44,641 +123.21%
E of Starcrest Blvd. 29,000 23,000 45,588 52,790 40,385 50,736 +120.59%
E of US 281N       44,542 34,075 43,699 N/A
W of US 281N         53,403 64,456 N/A
W of West Ave.       47,117 42,004 46,601 N/A
E of NW Military Hwy.       40,741 20,715 42,784 N/A

(NOTE: In 2021, TxDOT changed the location of several traffic counting stations. New stations will show no history prior to 2021, and discontinued stations will show no history for 2021 and thereafter.)



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Media gallery

Click here for video of this roadway.


Construction projects


Future plans

TxDOT and the City of San Antonio are studying additional improvements along Wurzbach Rd. from the western end of the parkway to I‑10.


History

This route was originally proposed in the late '80s as the aptly-named "East-West Parkway" and was eventually named Wurzbach Parkway because it connects to Wurzbach Road in northwestern San Antonio. William Wurzbach owned a ranch around what is now I‑10 and Wurzbach; the road he built through his property was eventually deeded to the county and named for him. Wurzbach also served as a county judge and county attorney.

The original sections of the parkway were designed and posted for a 45 mph speed limit. After public complaints about this being too low, a speed study was conducted and the speed limit subsequently raised on the original segments to 60 mph circa 2000. When the final segments were opened in 2014 and 2015, they, too, were posted at 45 mph as per design policies. A speed study conducted shortly after the final section opened supported an increase to 60 mph.

The first sections of the parkway only had a raised center island between the opposing traffic. After a spate of head-on collisions caused by drivers jumping the island, a concrete center barrier was installed atop the island in early 2010 between Wetmore Rd. and Weidner Rd. Sections of the parkway built thereafter included a center barrier instead of raised island.

Wurzbach Pkwy history map
Wurzbach Pkwy history map
Proposed Wurzbach Parkway sign on West Ave. ca. 2001

Proposed Wurzbach Parkway sign on West Ave. ca. 2001
(Photo by Brian Purcell)

Wurzbach Parkway construction near NW Military Hwy. looking southwest ca. 1999

Wurzbach Parkway construction near NW Military Hwy. looking southwest ca. 1999
(Photo courtesy of TxDOT)

Various alignments studied for Wurzbach Parkway

Various alignments studied for Wurzbach Parkway
(Document courtesy of TxDOT)

More historical photos of Wurzbach Parkway are available here.