The overview
In a ceremony held at the Roosevelt Park Clubhouse, city and VIA officials celebrated the beginning of construction in July, which will consist of utility adjustments, such as moving utility poles and fire hydrants.
During the ceremony, Mayor Ron Nirenberg said the VIA ART system would be a transformative project that would change the way San Antonians approach transportation.
“We continue to be one of the fastest growing cities in the country, fastest growing urban areas in the nation, and we are becoming a true multi-modal city, critical to ensuring our region's success,” Nirenberg said. “Today, we break ground on the VIA rapid green line, and in doing so, [create] San Antonio's first ever bona fide mass transit system, a project that will transform how we move between the places that are important to each of us. The project will link major employment centers and enhance access for 1000s of residents, create true economic impact and opportunity in our city.”
Jon Gary Herrera, CEO and president of VIA, said the project was the culmination of years of planning in creating a transit corridor that will bring San Antonio’s transit system into the 21st century. He also stressed that VIA will remain in communication with local communities regarding construction and its impact.
“We're going to be actively communicating the construction impact along this corridor and managing some expectations,” Herrera said. “So we're going to have a lot of tools in place to communicate effectively and timely to the corridor so we can help get us through this construction phase.”
About the project
The VIA Green Line is designed to improve transportation options for the nearly 54,000 residents and 108,000 jobs located in the 10.35-mile corridor.
The VIA service will feature:
- Reduced travel times by using dedicated lanes and synchronized traffic signals
- Off-board fare collection, level platform boarding and modern stations to create a seamless and comfortable commute
- Upgrades to intersections, sidewalks and drainage, benefiting pedestrians, cyclists and motorists
According to VIA documents, construction will be broken into segments to help streamline the process, and VIA will provide at least 30 days' notice before construction begins in each segment. Residents and businesses along the San Pedro corridor can expect construction impacts between 2025-27.
Segment 1: Steves Avenue to Roosevelt Avenue
- Underground and overhead utility relocations around new stations and intersections
- Temporary sidewalk and concrete/asphalt roadway patching where needed
- Potential sidewalk and curb/driveway reconstruction
Preliminary design features
- Over 10 new signalized pedestrian crossings
- Over 30 intersections with upgrades and synchronized signals for improved traffic flow
- Over 100 new or replaced stormwater drains, along with other drainage improvements
- Over 6 miles of new and repaired sidewalks
The Advanced Rapid Transit corridors are a key component of VIA's Keep SA Moving plan, which was approved by voters in 2020. This comprehensive plan aims to transform the region's transportation network and provide residents with more equitable and sustainable transit options.
For detailed construction updates about the Green Line, visit KeepSAmoving.com/construction
Project funding
On Dec. 18, 2024, VIA Metropolitan Transit signed a $268 million grant agreement with the Federal Transit Administration to support the VIA Rapid Green Line. Additional funding will be taken from an existing $0.0125 sales tax to the transit agency, which was approved in 2020. This tax, approved by more than 68% of voters, will provide the necessary local match and operating funds for the Green Line.
