San Antonio City Council voted June 22 to approve agreements that allow the city to partner with VIA Metropolitan Transit to develop VIA’s planned North/South Advanced Rapid Transit Corridor Project.

The overview

VIA officials said they are planning out the ART Corridor, which will connect the San Antonio International Airport area, along San Pedro Avenue, through downtown and south to the Spanish colonial missions area.

VIA officials said dedicated and mixed-use lanes featuring bus-friendly traffic signals and a preboarding payment system will let riders get to their destinations faster.

City officials said the ART Corridor Project is in the second year of the Federal Transit Administration’s Capital Investment Grants program where VIA is putting into place cooperative agreements with key stakeholders, such as the city.

The agreements approved June 22 by council permit the city to transfer a portion of its Advanced Transit District funding to VIA for use in the corridor project.

City and VIA officials said they aim for the corridor to begin service in 2027.

What they’re saying

District 6 Council Member Melissa Cabello Havrda, chair of the council’s transportation and mobility committee, said the ART corridor is a vital mobility project that will boost local economic development.

“This document lays the groundwork for turning the ART vision into a tangible reality. The expansion of safe, efficient and dependable transportation is crucial as San Antonio continues to experience growth, accessibility improvements and economic mobility opportunities,” Cabello Havrda said in a statement.