Culebra and 1604 (San Antonio, Austin, Marshall: hotel, house, neighborhood)

[PNAVatAR]

Go to Alamo Ranch Marketplace | San Antonio, TX | Archon Group Retail for more info on the marketplace. The grand opening should take place summer 08, but some major anchors will open sooner.

[AirForceDoc]

Check out the work going on across Culebra from the Alamo Ranch retail center. Renderings look fairly upscale. http://www.weingarten.com/retail/property/0606-750/

[TexasTeq]

With all due respect to our State Troopers. Was it really necessary to park in the turnaround lane yesterday (Dec 18) and block traffic from the lane. I'm not one to drive in the grass, many where and he was giving out tickets. But come on can't we get that area paved so that it wouldn't be a problem in the first place?

It's really ticking me off that I sit through 5 or 6 lights to go from where 152 ends to the turnaround lane. I wouldn't even think about making a left onto Culebra.

Anybody else want to vent?

[ChrisSA]

I agree with you. That intersection is horrible and will only get much worse as they build more houses outside of 1604 and when all the new businesses open up. I live south of there near 1604 and Potranco and I avoid going north of here on 1604 unless I absolutely have to.

What is ticking me off is how heavily the cops (SAPD and Bexar county) are patrolling the stretch of 1604 from Potranco to 90. The road is really wide open and usually not much traffic. The speed limit should be 65 instead of 55. I would say 50% of the time I drive this stretch of road, I see cops with somebody pulled over or they have a car sitting in the median hiding over the tops of the hills waiting to pull somebody over. They are wasting there time doing this when they should be pulling the people over who are driving 50mph through my neighborhood.

[majormadmax]

I have found a way to avoid the mess at 1604 and Culebra. I used to go down the latter and pick up 1560 to get home, then I tried circling back and going through Alamo Ranch but that is no good anymore either. Now I just get on 1604 and take the Shaenfield exit then cut over to where I live.

About the best thing you can do to avoid the rush hour around here is work flex hours. I go in at 6:00am and the traffic is still somewhat heavy, but at least it is moving. I also can leave at 2:00pm as I skip my lunch hour (I just eat while I am working). THis also helps me get a decent parking spot at work.

Chris, I agree with you on the bigger need is patrolling neighborhoods, not freeways. I am shocked at how fast people go through ours, mainly contruction crews but a lot of residents as well. We have an elementary school smack dab in the middle of the community and sometimes we are lucky and the NISD police will patrol; but as we are outside of the city limits, we can only rely on the occassional Bexar County Sherriff's Department car to roll through.

San Antonio is seriously understaffed in its beat force. It really needs to address this and add some officers to its rolls.

Cheers! M2

[goodmanm]

They have been sitting under that overpass waiting for people to drive on the grass since shortly after the construction started on Culebra. As I've stated before I'd rather see them in the subdivisions enforcing speed limits than ticketing people for simply driving on the shoulder/grassy areas, especially in an area like that.

At least once a week I've seen motorcycle cops with someone pulled over. Most of the time just before Marbach. Anyone know where they're hiding? I'm guessing on one of the subdivision roads just far enough back that you can't see them until you're on them.

[jimbobvandy]

I just moved to town and will be commuting from I-10 and 1604 to Potranco and 1604. I will be able to make my own schedule and I've thought about working 7 am until 6 pm. What do y'all think of those hours for traffic in that area or are there better times?

[majormadmax]

jimbobvandy

You are gonna hate that commute during those hours! Especially between Shaenfield and Braun....

Cheers! M2

[rd2007]

You definitely won't be alone on 1604 during those hours If you were going the other direction life would be a lot better, that's for sure. I'd highly recommend going in earlier and leaving earlier if you can. Why do you work 7-6 anyhow? 11 hours is kinda long..

as far as Culbebra/1604, I'm back to avoiding it like the plague. It was great when they finally got rid of the light and made it a highway, but now they've totally screwed it up again and I laugh every time I see the cops pulling people over there. It's like a smelt run...

I also agree 1604 south of Potranco should be at least 65 MPH, I never drive below 70 on it and it's so nice and smooth and wide open. One of the few nice highways here and they ruin it with a 55 MPH speed limit.. The light at Marbach and 1604 is back to being jacked up again though and that's annoying. I called them a while ago and they sorta fixed it. The city of SA owns it.

As far as the cops down there, they leave their radar on all the time, so my detector gets them from at least a mile out. I still haven't figured out where they're hiding, but I definitely know when to crawl along at 55 mph.. one morning I got stuck behind a cop going 55 on it at around 5:00 AM. I'm sure he was just being an a$$ as most of them go at least 70.. it seemed like my drive in increased by at least 10 minutes that morning and the road is definitely made for more speed.

[bornandraisedSA]

ugh, I used to drive that area daily. I worked over near Sea World and live at Medina Lake. It would take me 45 minutes to get from 151 and Wiseman to 1560 and Culebra at the wrong time of day (s/b maybe 10 min at normal times.)

In the mornings I came in Culebra and cut through Alamo Ranch, exited out 151 and doubled back at the light/turnaround just past NWVista. I am sure it was farther than hitting 1604/Culebra and going from there, but just not having to sit in BTB traffic was worth it.

I have since moved jobs and have NO desire to go that way EVER again!! When I work again, I will head towards Boerne (take hill country roads) or hit 211 from Culebra over to Bandera and try for something in that area.

I remember when cops would sit on the shoulder of the on ramp of 1604 (west bound) to keep those that didn't need to turn at 151 (which was always bottle-necked) from getting around. It just made traffic so much worse. I know, we aren't supposed to drive on the shoulders, but at least it's not grass! LOL