Chris Riley
Leon Valley Mayor

At 4:30 p.m. today, the city of Leon Valley is hosting an opportunity for city leaders and residents to take a tour of Leon Valley on a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) vehicle.

The BRT bus is on loan from VIA public transportation service, which celebrates 30 years of continuous service since March 1978.

The Leon Valley City Council in February passed a unanimous resolution to VIA to request that the second leg of the BRT run from the Medical Center down Wurzbach and Bandera to 1604. Come to the city’s conference center this afternoon to experience the look and feel of BRT – not light rail, but “like rail.”

Update on 410/Bandera flyovers: The purpose of this TXDOT project is to relieve congestion at Bandera and Loop 410. It is scheduled for completion in Fall 2009. Although the (westbound) Evers Road/410 exit will be permanently closed, the Bandera Road exit will remain. Westbound traffic on 410 will be able to enter the flyover at Summit Parkway and drop onto northbound Bandera at Rue Francois. There will also be a flyover from southbound Bandera dropping off on eastbound 410.

This project was fully approved and funded by 2004. Since that time, Leon Valley has had little ability to affect TxDOT’s plans. Businesses in the construction area have been affected. Luby’s decided to close when its management learned that access to its site by northbound Bandera Road traffic would be permanently restricted.

Our goal must be to work with TxDOT to minimize further losses of business taxpayers in Leon Valley. We intend to hold another public hearing soon to air out current questions and problems.

Answers are also available through Maggie Rios, TxDOT’s public information director, at 615-5836, e-mail This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it , including information on weekly informational meetings, Thursdays at 1:30 p.m., conducted by the TxDOT contractor, Austin Bridge & Road.

Crystal Hills Park survey: We need your input on the new 48-acre park, to be opened jointly between the city of San Antonio (COSA) and Leon Valley, at the end of Shadow Mist off Grissom. What type of park amenities would you like to see? Visit Leon Valley’s Web site at www.leonvalleytexas.gov and download the survey, answer it and either e-mail it or fax it back to Scott Stover, COSA park project manager. Deadline for survey responses is March 21. Let your voice be heard.

Trade and Market Days begins for 2008: This Saturday, from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m at the Community and Conference Centers in Leon Valley, our Trade and Market Days begin for the third season. To reserve a booth or for more information, call Elsa Dominguez, 521-2007, ext. 2.

Get your Irish on: From noon to 5 p.m. Sunday, the Irish Cultural Society will sponsor Irish Heritage Day at the Leon Valley Community Center. The event will feature dancing, music and fun for kids and adults. Admission is free.