Test

 In the 1970s, the Texas Legislature created state laws that authorized the creation of metropolitan transit agencies (MTAs) and created a funding structure – up to 1 cent of local sales tax. MTAs operate large transit networks that rely primarily on funding from local sales tax. In creating the legal infrastructure for MTAs, The Texas Legislature did not include a path for rescinding funding for them because they provide a public service and require funding certainty to cover recurring operating costs. MTAs could not adequately plan or execute services if their funding sources were uncertain.

The Keep SA Moving plan is designed to improve the transit and mobility network by connecting more people to more places with fast, frequent and reliable service. The plan includes:

• Enhanced bus system that connects people to places of interest
• A more direct network for new and experienced riders
• Increased frequencies in busiest corridors
• More evening, late-night and weekend service
• Planning for ART, a high-frequency network of dedicated lanes conveying high-capacity vehicles
• New infrastructure projects attracting increased federal investment

The ART project is designed to move more people faster and farther, using vehicles traveling in dedicated and mixed-use lanes along designated corridors that connect major residential and business centers.

The first ART corridor will cover 11.7 miles, from the San Antonio International Airport, along San Pedro Avenue, through Downtown and south to the Missions area. It includes service connections to Brooks Transit Center and Stone Oak Park & Ride.

ART stations will offer high frequency service, level boarding, off-board fare collection, transit signal priority for vehicles, and other convenient amenities.

Click here to learn more about the ART project.

The ART North-to-South corridor project is expected to cost $386.4M in the year of expenditure, 2027.

VIA’s ART project is designed to improve safety by adding sidewalks for station access, improving pedestrian crossing conditions, and managing turns along the corridor. It supports the City of San Antonio’s Vision Zero goals/actions, including safer access to transit, eliminating sidewalk gaps, improving traffic signal timing for people walking and biking, and adding infrastructure in high-injury areas.

According to City of San Antonio data, there are 500 to 700 accidents on San Pedro annually. The ART station designs include medians that provide pedestrian refuge, eliminate conflicts along roadways, resulting in safer streets, reduce crashes up to half (per TxDOT Statewide Motor Vehicle Crash Statistics) and create significantly fewer intersection conflict points.

VIA is in a preliminary design phase of its Advanced Rapid Transit (ART) North/South Corridor Project. VIA is reviewing the feasibility of placement for passenger stations and other operational improvements on the route. Property owners along the route, were sent a right of entry letter. This letter establishes VIA’s right of access, if VIA determines access to a property is necessary. If access is necessary, the purpose will only be to gather information for project development and design. This may include a visual inspection, utility investigation and/or property boundary survey. Should VIA need access to a property for these purposes we will coordinate with property owners in advance.

There are no plans to acquire homes along the proposed North-to-South corridor.

Current plans have preliminarily identified the need for small portions of properties along the corridor for passenger station placement, pedestrian improvements, or other operational improvements. These specific impacts will not be known until the conclusion of the Preliminary Design. While VIA has the authority to use eminent domain to acquire property, as of December 2022, plans do not identify any residential property for full acquisition/taking. No acquisitions would occur until the necessary studies and required public hearing, including Board action, is completed. Draft plans and roll plots of the project can be found at KeepSAmoving.com.

Increased and improved transit options do not have negative effects on property values, historically. Projects like ART increase frequency and decrease the number of stations along the corridor to move people faster, often from residential areas to commercial corridors. San Pedro Avenue has been a major transit hub for over 100 years and continues to be a busy corridor for public transportation in San Antonio.