Transportation & Capital Improvements (TCI) is the department responsible for maintaining San Antonio's infrastructure. I reached out to them recently, because I've been puzzled by how they choose which streets to resurface.
Huisache (which they did recently) is a good example. While the 900 block certainly needed work, the stretch from Grant to the highway did not. I could have told them half a dozen other streets in greater need of attention. They listed a handful of factors in how they rate streets. But we seemed to be talking at cross purposes, as I couldn't get a straightforward answer to why they would resurface average streets before bad streets.
What I finally gleaned was that they will put off already damaged streets as long as they can. Because they can resurface more streets with mild wear and tear for the same amount of money that it costs to do one bad street. By covering more ground, they seem to be accomplishing more for more people. Even though the people who need their help the most continue to suffer.
I think that's the rationale. Can't say I'm a fan.
While I was at it, I asked about sidewalks. They said that they are only scheduling projects where there are currently no existing sidewalks (called it gap fill), i.e. they aren't doing any repair work. Repairs would be left to home owners, using the rebate program if available, or the Sidewalk Squad. Unfortunately, the Sidewalk Squad will only work on a block in which less than 30% of the sidewalk needs repair. That will disqualify quite a bit of our neighborhood.
I don't mean to simply dump on TCI. They have done a fair amount of street and sidewalk work in Beacon Hill in the last few years. I'm glad of that. But I think their allocation of resources has room for improvement.
- Daniel Hubbeling