VIA Metropolitan Transit announced Wednesday its acquisition of a $268 million federal grant to fully fund its planned Rapid Green Line corridor.
Funds for the grant came through an agreement with the Federal Transit Administration.
VIA has set a goal of delivering the high-frequency service, a first for the region, by late 2027, a news release from the transit company said.
The planned 10.35-mile corridor is designed to improve transportation access to an estimated 54,000 residents and 108,000 jobs within the route, which travels from the San Antonio International Airport south to the Missions.
“Right now, many San Antonio households are spending nearly a quarter of their income just on transportation. This new transit line will help lessen that financial burden and create a thriving environment where everyone can enjoy greater mobility and economic opportunities,” FTA Deputy Administrator Veronica Vanterpool said.
San Antonio voters approved a measure in 2020 to redirect an existing 1/8 sales tax to VIA, which will start in 2026, the release said.
“Together with the FTA, we’re now fully funded to construct the backbone of a system designed to meet the mobility needs of San Antonio, well into our evolving future,” VIA President/CEO Jeffrey C. Arndt said.
Planned transportation measures in San Antonio
Advanced Rapid Transit corridors — of which VIA has a second East-West line planned — are central to its voter-approved Keep SA Moving Plan.
The plan aims to “transform the region’s transportation network and provide residents with more equitable and sustainable transit options,” the release said.
The East-West route, dubbed the Rapid Silver Line, would continue along Houston, Market, and Commerce Streets.
VIA said the route could open at least two years after the Green Line; however, a target goal is unclear.
Conversations in San Antonio have stayed ongoing this year around transit-oriented development (TOD), a measure to support housing and mixed-use development around the forthcoming lines.
Both corridors would run through a downtown expected to see significant change in transportation over the coming years.
Plans to reimagine Hemisfair and the Alamodome under the city’s “Project Marvel” will likely emphasize transportation and ease of access.
Last week, the San Antonio City Council approved a funding agreement with the Texas Department of Transportation to construct a nearly one-mile, two-way cycle track from Flores Street to Interstate 37. VIA board approves $102 million in local funding for East-West Rapid Line
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