After years of persistent congestion and resident complaints, long-awaited road improvements are coming to a heavily traveled stretch of San Antonio’s Far Westside.
The Texas Department of Transportation plans to begin construction this fall on FM 471, spanning from Culebra Road to SH 16 at Bandera Road, according to a recently filed state report. Construction is scheduled to begin Friday, Sept. 11, marking a major step forward for a corridor that has struggled to keep pace with rapid growth.
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The project will expand the existing two-lane roadway into four lanes and add a raised median or center turn lane. Plans also include new bike lanes, sidewalks, ADA-compliant curb ramps and upgraded traffic signals. In total, the work will cover approximately 183,449 square feet, according to filings with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation.
The construction zone begins near a busy commercial area anchored by an H-E-B grocery store and CHRISTUS Santa Rosa Hospital, where new housing developments, businesses and data centers have emerged in recent years. The project will extend west toward the San Antonio Aquarium and the city of Leon Valley.
FM 471 runs roughly 45 miles through Bexar and Medina counties, connecting communities such as Castroville and Natalia. The San Antonio segment has become a bottleneck as traffic volumes increased, with residents previously describing delays at nearly all hours of the day and limited opportunities to safely pass slower vehicles.
TxDOT last updated the FM 471 expansion effort in fall 2025, reporting the project was about 70% complete at that time. The agency estimates the full buildout will be finished by February 2027.
While the improvements are expected to ease long-term congestion and improve safety for drivers, cyclists and pedestrians, short-term traffic impacts are likely once construction ramps up. TxDOT has not yet released detailed information on lane closures or detours but said additional updates will be provided closer to the start of work.
As development continues to accelerate on San Antonio’s Far Westside, transportation officials say the FM 471 project is designed to better accommodate current demand while preparing the corridor for future growth.
Originally reported by Melanie Love Salazar, Digital Trending Reporter in My San Antonio.
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