One of the first things that caught my eye when I moved to San Antonio was the freeway construction.

Concrete barriers were set up all over, including on Loop 1604, lanes were narrowed, and it was common for exits to be blocked or for roads to suddenly change at night.

For the first year, I thought, "This must be because the city is growing. It should get better in a year or two."

But after living here for three years, my perspective changed.

It was under construction three years ago, and it's still under construction now. The problem is that while I can see some progress, there seems to be no end in sight.

Sometimes I think, "At this rate, won't it take 10 years?" But when I looked up the data, it turned out that this was a real possibility. My observations were spot on.....

The TxDOT Loop 1604 North Expansion is a massive project costing $1.4 billion, spanning about 23 miles.

It's not just one project; it's divided into several segments.

Some segments started in 2021.

However, depending on the segment, the expected completion dates are 2026, 2027, and 2028, with the section from Judson Road to I-35 starting construction at the end of 2026 and expected to be completed in 2029.

Ultimately, for some drivers, it means they will see construction almost continuously from 2021 to 2029.

So why is it taking so long?

Initially, I thought, "U.S. road construction must be slow."

But looking into it, it's not just a matter of laying down a few more lanes of asphalt.

The construction has to happen while countless cars use the existing freeway every day.

If they could close the road entirely and work for a few years before reopening, it would be much faster, but that's not realistically possible.

They have to keep traffic flowing while building new lanes, constructing bridges, relocating ramps, and then changing lanes before demolishing existing structures.

Then they move on to another section.

Especially at the intersection of I-10 and Loop 1604, it's not just a simple intersection. It's a large interchange project connecting vehicles from multiple directions, and the entire Loop 1604 includes HOV lanes and new ramps and bridges.

They even created a new type of intersection called a Diverging Diamond Interchange on Blanco Road. Even there, they had to gradually construct the bridge and road while allowing existing traffic to pass through.

Additionally, the rapid growth of San Antonio is a factor.

Construction began, but in just a few years, new apartments and commercial buildings popped up around the area. The number of vehicles continues to increase.

So while they are working to widen the road, the number of vehicles using that road is also rising.

This is frustrating for residents.

Driving between narrow lanes and concrete walls for years, and then one day finding that a familiar exit has changed, and on weekends, the freeway is blocked again.

Yet, the completed project is not in sight.

In fact, large road projects involve many tasks that drivers can't see, like underground drainage systems and foundation work. Even when building a bridge, they have to do it in order from the foundation to the columns, beams, deck, and paving, so it can feel like nothing is happening for months.

Still, residents can't think about those details every day while driving.

After seeing construction for three years, it's understandable to complain a bit.

What's even more interesting is that when one project finishes, another one is waiting. According to TxDOT data, the I-35 Northeast Expansion is also set to continue from 2027 to 2029, along with other major road projects planned.

So one morning, San Antonio residents might wake up to find, "Finally, all freeway construction is complete!" but that day is likely a long way off.

As long as the city keeps growing, the roads will need to be continually torn up and widened.

When I first came to San Antonio, I thought it would be more convenient once the construction was finished.

Now, three years later, my perspective has shifted a bit.

Here, it seems we have to get used to the fact that the freeway is always under construction.

Seeing the year 2029 makes me sigh. I hope I won't be saying this again then.

"Still under construction."