VIA gained’t begin building for the Silver Line till 2027, however residents on the East and West sides with questions concerning the new speedy bus line can cease in at new neighborhood places of work on Buena Vista and Houston streets.
It’s a part of a wave of latest assets from San Antonio’s regional transit authority as VIA expands rideshare companies and offers neighborhood outreach on its new bus plans and speedy transit traces.
VIA is already setting up the Inexperienced Line, a north-south superior speedy transit (ART) bus line that can run from San Antonio Worldwide Airport to Steves Avenue, simply south of I-10.
That line will open as quickly as 2027 and can use devoted bus lanes, prioritized site visitors alerts and extra frequent pickups to maneuver riders extra rapidly round San Antonio.
In-person buyer help
The deliberate Silver Line will use those self same strategies to maneuver riders between east and west. It’s on a later schedule than the Inexperienced Line, however VIA officers try to have interaction residents and get their suggestions.
“We’re at 40% design. We’re within the course of of choosing a closing designer,” stated Rod Sanchez, VIA’s vice chairman of planning and design. “From right here, it’s extra design, it’s extra dialogue with the neighborhood.”
VIA has already picked out the route and the stops for the Silver Line, which is able to run from the Frost Financial institution Heart alongside Houston, Market, Buena Vista and Commerce streets to North Basic McMullen on the West Aspect.
Sanchez stated there may be nonetheless a necessity for neighborhood enter, although. VIA desires locals to speak about what stops will appear to be and the place they go on streets and blocks.
“We’re open to having any dialogue with neighborhood members. If there’s something they don’t like, please inform us,” he stated.
The company is staffing two places of work, one on Buena Vista Road close to the College of Texas at San Antonio’s downtown workplace and the opposite at VelocityTX’s East Aspect campus close to Houston Road. VIA held a ribbon chopping for its East Aspect workplace on Monday. The West Aspect workplace opens in December.
“Anyone can cease in,” stated Tom Marks, VIA’s vice chairman of presidency affairs and neighborhood engagement.
It’s a blueprint VIA has utilized to the Inexperienced Line: placing native workers on the bottom to each welcome native questions and conduct outreach. Two full-time staff are already working within the East Aspect workplace and can be found between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday by Friday.
Most residents’ considerations, Marks stated, have been associated to building. When VIA will get nearer to breaking floor on the Silver Line, Marks stated, there shall be extra workers and extra availability at its places of work.
For now, he stated, folks can stroll into these places of work and ask questions or attain out to VIA at keepsamoving.com or at 210-362-2020 and request that VIA representatives come to occasions or reply questions.
Rideshare companies at Brooks
VIA Hyperlink, the company’s rideshare program, added service in Southeast San Antonio earlier this month.
VIA Hyperlink permits residents in areas with much less bus service to request rides at designated pickup factors and get rides inside considered one of its six designated service areas. These service areas are downtown, Mainland within the northwest, Naco Cross within the Northeast, Madla on the South Aspect, Randolph within the east and, now, a Southeast zone.
Residents can now request rides from VIA Hyperlink pickup factors round Brooks, Pecan Valley and the intersection of Loop 410 and Freeway 87.
Marks and Sanchez stated VIA continues to be build up data and use of these companies.
“It takes us six months to a 12 months to get the ridership we wish,” Sanchez stated.
Enhancements to VIA Hyperlink and San Antonio’s bus system are a part of VIA’s Higher Bus Plan, a blueprint for growing bus frequencies and altering routes the company is rolling out in 2025 and 2026.
