Quote:
Originally Posted by ICEVET
I have mentioned in other forums that I am somewhat dismayed that the new, completed airport will have no freeway egress ramp. In other words, you will not be able to depart the airport via the new, two-level terminal roadway and smoothly transition onto either U.S. 281 or I-410. It is fine that those leaving the central business district via 281 North can transition into the airport terminal areas on a completed off-ramp. But how can it be that an airport in a FAIRLY large metro area, (I use the term cautiously), adjacent to TWO heavily-trafficked freeways, could end up being served by only ONE lousy freeway ramp?
I corresponded to the TXHighwayMan on this point, and he confirmed that there will be no egress ramp from SAT. He stated that there "will be a study" to determine if an egress ramp is really necessary. I could hardly believe it when I read it. Try leaving SAT and getting on 281 North. You have a minimum of about three traffic signals to negotiate, and during rush hour it can take twenty minutes or longer. I regard this as a major deficiency that should have been taken into consideration as part of the airport expansion and planned for. By the time the "study" is finished, the situation (already bad) will have probably evolved into another one of our traffic "laughing stocks".
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I can understand that frustration, and agree that a flyover/direct connect exit makes just as much sense as the existing entrance ramp. However, its in this case that the location of the airport gives SA one of its few advantages when it comes to air travel. In cities like Denver and Houston, it doesn't matter that freeway access is direct; you're still going to end up driving a good 30-45 minutes to get to downtown, even on a good day. In SA, yeah you have to go through a few lights (including the ridiculously long lights at Airport Blvd and 410), but once you get past those, you're home free, as there are ramps going to freeways in every direction that are in close proximity, and you are no farther than 5-8 minutes from most of SA's population and business hubs (downtown, Med Center, Stone Oak, etc). I think this is one case where SAT's convenient location minimizes the inconvenience of not having an egress ramp.