Quote:
Originally Posted by 21bl0wed
But I just don't see the point..other than surely they want to make it a toll some time down the road and make money...It's just it seems so distant till its a completed reality...I mean hell theres literally like 4 apartment complexes in the way east of blanco. And i probably save around 5 whole minutes when traving to blanco from lockhill selma on the pkwy. You have the volkner ranch or whatever that takes up a large portion of both sides of the pkwy from LHS to Blanco...So how is traffic supposed to increase? There will be no commercial additions to that portion...Its going to be a park..
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Man, you are all over the place with the hating on the WP thing, huh? Fortunately for all us, transportation planning isn't left to messageboard posters.
Instead of using completely subjective criteria to determine its value (like the number of apartment complexes in its way, or commercial properties it serves, or process of completion,) one should look at the facts. WP was, and is intended to be a cross-town reliever for 410 and 1604. A careful examination of any map will show you that there is no way to go from anywhere on I-10 between 410 and 1604 and I-35 between 410 and 1604 without having to go all the way up to 1604 or down to 410. 410 can only get so wide, and it doesn't make sense to push traffic towards 1604, so by building a limited-access parkway through the middle section of north-central SA, the thought is that they can take a good enough size chunk of traffic off of 410 and 1604, which would have the same effect of adding extra lanes to those freeways.
Why they chose to start at the ends and work towards the center, I don't know. Probably a funding issue. Usually is. Kinda has the effect of standing on a garden hose to me. But there is precedent for doing it all stupid like that here; they started working on I-10 NW of downtown in the middle-late 80's They then worked on the parts near 1604. All of it is done, except the section from 410 to Hildebrand. The middle. So whatever. Again, probably funding.
I am sure parts will be tolled, but that was never the original intent. Remember, that WP was conceptualized in the late 80's, before the state law changed allowing significant tolling of roads in the state.
And we all had better light a candle of thanks to our lady of the perpetual congested freeway that WP went through the Voeleker property before it was proposed/purchased as a park. Cause it's next to impossible to get to put a road through a park. Anyone over 35 can remember the 281/Brackenridge park legal battles.
If it only saves you a few minutes between LHS and Blanco, great, but that was never the intent anyhow.