From the cover
VIA moves to boost mass transit in San Antonio
BY EDMOND ORTIZ
Next steps
A closer look
Two-minute impact
SAN ANTONIO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
New rapid rides The Green Line—a north-south corridor—and the Silver Line—a west-east corridor—will use existing VIA bus routes lled with multiple pickup/dropo platforms and fare kiosks.
VIA o cials said enhanced services could fur- ther increase bus ridership on routes in the north central area and citywide.
Residents who use VIA’s services voiced optimism about future improvements. Hollywood Park-area resident Kyle Willmon said he enjoys free onboard WiFi connectivity, and thinks planned initiatives such as the Silver Line could enhance VIA’s system, but noted there is room for more improvement. “The frequency of routes in this area could de nitely be improved,” Willmon said. “The mobile [payment] app is functional, but it’d be much more convenient if I could just tap a credit card when I board.” Kevin Wol , VIA’s Advanced Rapid Transit panel chair, said developing the Green and Silver lines should prompt service upgrades along existing routes, the creation of new routes, and other system initiatives. VIA o cials said next steps are to secure $289.2 million in federal and local money to fully fund physical construction of the Green
and Silver lines; the latter of which is set to open in 2029. Representatives for groups such as the North San Antonio Chamber of Commerce recently backed VIA’s e orts, saying the Green and Silver lines as well as other Advanced Rapid Transit measures will further boost commercial growth. Further details on VIA’s plans are available at www.keepsamoving.com.
VIA’s leaders said the new lines will bolster rider frequency and reliability in a growing city where VIA totals 24 million passenger trips annually on 75 routes over 1,210 square miles. VIA President and CEO Je Arndt said the Green and Silver lines will allow users to pay before they board a specialized bus with multiple entry/exit doors. Passengers will be dropped o or picked up every 10-15 minutes at each station along the lines, where stations and amenities will be installed along dedicated lanes on existing routes. VIA o cials said the 11-mile Green Line, which will link the San Antonio International Airport on the north side with the Spanish colonial missions on the south side, will feature 26 drop-o /pickup platforms and should be operational in 2027. Arndt said the Green and Silver lines will mimic commuter rail, where bus-friendly
410
Rapid Green Line
Rapid Silver Line
2022 ridership
2023 ridership
San Antonio
281
Route 2 - Blanco Road
tra c signals, real-time route information and improved bus boarding infrastructure will widen access to riders of all abilities and deliver passengers to their destinations faster. “It’s a big game-changer,” Arndt said. Arndt said VIA will begin receiving in 2026 a portion of proceeds from the city’s sales tax that voters via a ballot initiative in 2020 approved to further support public transit. Arndt said, at that point, VIA will look to further increase bus service frequency and improve other services citywide, including growing the number of weekend routes and expanding service later into the night.
23,128
10
14,644
Route 7 - Stone Oak/US 281
955 988
FROST BANK CENTER DR.
Route 97 - Shavano Park area 11.572 8,476
“I believe VIA’s plans are a starting point for what we hope will be a broader public transportation system over the next few years.” JOHN COURAGE,
35
Route 503 - Stone Oak/Shavano Park area
3,474
2,602
Route 534 - Wurzbach Road
10
90
16,515
SAN ANTONIO DISTRICT 9 CITY COUNCIL MEMBER
12,779
HISTORIC MISSIONS
N
Route 648 - East of US 281 3,796 2,942
SOURCE: VIA METROPOLITAN TRANSIT COMMUNITY IMPACT
STONE OAK 23026 US Hwy 281 N (210) 497-1322 DE ZAVALA 5219 De Zavala Rd (210) 561-0900
VINEYARD 1309 N Loop 1604 W (210) 408-8206
RECTOR 819 E Rector Dr (210) 340-2244
LEGACY 2003 N Loop 1604 E (210) 494-8600
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