The thoroughfare plan is a long-range planning tool for the county's future roadway system, according to a presentation given to residents Sept. 23. The plan was last updated in 2012.
During their Oct. 14 meeting, commissioners agreed Dec. 16 is their goal for passing the plan.
Some background
During a Sept. 23 public meeting, 424 attendees received a draft of the plan to discuss. Between Sept. 23 and Oct. 7, the county received 193 comments about the plan, Assistant County Engineer Barry Black said.
“All the conversations I’ve had, I think, have been productive. Some folks are gaining an understanding of what a thoroughfare plan is, and what it’s about, understanding that it’s not a taking of land, these aren’t hard projects, nothing’s chiseled in stone,” Black said.
While the plan calls for a proactive plan for future roadway improvements and connectivity with local cities, Black said property acquisition is not part of the process.
Precinct 3 Commissioner Michael Carpenter said the plan is part of a “larger set of tools” for informing the development community what to expect if they do business in the county. He also said the plan will be updated more regularly going forward.
“Whatever we approve, it is going to change. Whatever we say [about] this is how we see it today. As the development communities come into the county and as families or businesses [come in] or groups of people that own land decide that they wish to sell, it’s going to change again,” Carpenter said.
Looking ahead
Black said the Northeast San Antonio portion of the county, including Cibolo and Seguin in the I-10 corridor, should be taken into consideration in the thoroughfare plan going forward. Black said this is due to potential development bringing on traffic impacts, such as semitrucks driving through the area.
After the end of the public comment period of the plan Oct. 23, county staff will compile the feedback for final review before the plan is adopted Dec. 16.
"Everybody knows this is a very important process. We want to move along so we can adopt something, but at the same time, there's a lot to consider," Guadalupe County Judge Kyle Kutscher said.
Before you go
The draft of the major thoroughfare plan can be viewed on the county's website.
