News Details (Posted: July 2, 2008):

Stone Oak Traffic Solutions

Full Description:

Hate Traffic?
Most everybody who lives or works in Stone Oak does. One resident reported waiting for nearly an hour to travel 8 miles at the 1604 and 281 interchange. Fortunately, there are a few prospective ways to improve the mind numbing traffic jams during rush hour. One practical solution is carpooling. Carpool your kids to school or ride with a buddy to work. Even if it is just a couple of days per week, think about the gas, frustration, and possibly time that you could be saving.
To make carpooling easier, Via has provided a few prospective solutions such as their new Vanpool service, available to anybody who travels in Bexar county on a daily basis.
How does it work?
Via provides a driver with a 7, 12, or 15 passenger van for free while the passengers split up the cost and they carpool to work on a daily basis. The van can also be used for up to 200 miles per month of free travel every weekend. Costs vary according to the size of van, number of passengers, and the possibility of employer subsidized costs. It includes “insurance, 24 hour roadside assistance, and all van maintenance.”
For more information, visit www.viainfo.net or call 210-362-2555.
Another idea, presented by Via at this month’s Stone Oak Business Association’s luncheon is the possibility of creating a bus system for Stone Oak at some of its busiest thoroughfares (Stone Oak Pkwy. and Blanco). The idea is still in it’s development stage and Via is looking for more information to help the community decide if it would be a worthwhile investment. That’s where you come in! Via needs feedback from our community about:
~Major employers in the area (Washington Mutual, Clear Channel, etc)
~Work shifts/ # of people per shift
~Home origins (anonymous employee addresses to map out possible pick up and drop off points)
~Special Generators: non-work draws to the area (skating rink, movie theater, etc)
~Pending/Future road projects
~Other options

According to our Via representative, a reported source informed him that the Minister of Oil in Saudi Arabia announced that there were plans for oil to cost $90/barrel by the end of the year. With those prices, it is highly impractical to not think of transportation alternatives. To use a cliché, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Reducing our dependence on individual transportation now can help us to adapt to necessary adjustments in the future (and save us money too). And let’s face it, the extra walk from home to bus stop and back again is a bit of exercise that most of us could use.
Have any additional ideas? Agree or disagree? Let us know! Post your comments in our Public Forum or take our Poll to see what others think.