The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality is hosting a public hearing to discuss three proposed revisions to the Statewide Implementation Plan (SIP) for air quality. The revisions will create a vehicle emissions testing program, set limits on vehicular emissions, and provide regulatory requirements for Bexar County to meet national air quality standards for ozone.

After the San Antonio nonattainment area for ozone was reclassified to moderate by the US Environmental Protection Agency, the State is required to develop an emissions Inspection and Maintenance (I/M) Program. The recent repeal of state-mandated vehicle safety inspections will not affect the planned Bexar County emissions inspections program. These SIP revisions also set the Bexar County motor vehicle emissions budget (MVEB) that must be used for transportation conformity analysis. The MVEB is the maximum allowable emissions from on-road mobile sources for each applicable criteria pollutant or precursor for the attainment year. Areas must demonstrate, to pass conformity analysis, the estimated emissions from transportation plans, programs, and projects do not exceed its MVEB.

A public hearing for these SIP revisions and associated rulemaking is scheduled for July 13, 2023 at 7:00 p.m. in the AACOG Board Room. The public comment period will close on July 17, 2023. For more information related to Bexar County ozone planning activities, please visit https://www.tceq.texas.gov/airquality/sip/san/san-latest-ozone.

The City of Garden Ridge and AAMPO held a Walkable Community Workshop on June 27, 2023. Residents, AAMPO staff, and Garden Ridge elected officials discussed transportation issues and concerns that pose a barrier to walking and biking in Garden Ridge. Workshop attendees identified areas for potential mobility improvements to encourage walking or bicycling to schools, businesses, and recreation. They also explored potential connections and other elements for safer active transportation in the city.

Prior the workshop, AAMPO developed a crowdsourcing map to facilitate online participation to gather input and concerns from locals and visitors. The crowdsourcing tool was featured at the June Garden Ridge Market Days to promote the Walkable Community Workshop and provide an opportunity to the public to map areas of concern. AAMPO also conducted a walk audit with Garden Ridge officials to assess walkability and connectivity on streets and at major intersections, parks, and in neighborhoods.

AAMPO is in the process of compiling the comments and recommendations received, online and in-person, into a report. AAMPO will share workshop findings with elected officials and appropriate departments within the City of Garden Ridge, Comal County, and the Texas Department of Transportation. This report will also be available on AAMPO's website under the Active Transportation Resources during the month of August.

As VIA Metropolitan Transit continues to move forward to deliver the area’s first Advanced Rapid Transit corridor, local officials celebrated the opening of a project office designed to be a community information hub. The office is located at 7067 San Pedro Ave, San Antonio, Texas 78216, and will be open from
8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Other times are available by appointment and the office will be closed on holidays.

President/CEO Jeff Arndt was joined by Mayor Ron Nirenberg, former Mayor and U.S. Housing Secretary Henry Cisneros, VIA Board Chair Fernando Reyes, other VIA Board members, leadership, and staff at the project office to celebrate its opening. Though phased construction on the corridor is not set to begin until 2025, the office opened as a community resource, offering the opportunity to meet with project team members, give feedback, and get updates about the transformative transit project.

The celebration comes on the heels of action by the San Antonio City Council and VIA Board of Trustees, approving two Interlocal Agreements (ILAs) that solidify the partnership between the two entities on moving the Advanced Rapid Transit North-South Corridor to an anticipated completion in 2027.

Known as the “VIA Rapid Green Line”, the corridor runs from near the San Antonio International Airport along San Pedro Avenue, through downtown and onto Steves Avenue, near Mission Concepcion. Advanced Rapid Transit is a new type of mass transit in San Antonio that generally runs in dedicated lanes, outside of regular traffic, and includes elements designed to reduce trip time. Elements include off-board fare collection, level platform boarding, and transit-priority traffic signals that will keep the Green Line running efficiently even during periods of peak traffic and congestion.

Advanced Rapid Transit is a key element in VIA’s Keep SA Moving plan that voters approved in 2020. The project office reflects VIA’s ongoing efforts to keep the public informed and engaged about the project, which is designed to move more people faster and farther, and connect them to more opportunities for education, employment, goods and resources. Project resources will include digital and print information and updates, as well as staff members available to respond to questions and comments.

Join AAMPO partners, Ghisallo Cycling and Black Girls Do Bike, on Sunday, August 6th from 9 a.m. -12 p.m. for an end of Summer Youth Fest at Freewheel Bike Park in Pearsall Park. There will be many outdoor biking activities so bring your bikes out for more summer fun.

The Tour de las Misiones Bike Ride, Walk, and Run will be held at Mission Park Pavilions (6030 Padre Drive) from 7:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. The events will include a leisurely ride ranging from 7- to 22-miles with stops at each mission and an enjoyable 5/10K walk and run through the scenic Mission River Reach and Mission San Jose.

Participants who register by August 21, 2023, are guaranteed to receive a commemorative T-shirt and other giveaways. For more information and to register, visit https://www.worldheritagefestival.org/

Is construction scheduled in your area? Check out upcoming highway construction closures.