SCHERTZ – A much-anticipated road construction project has come to a stop just months after it started.
A plan to improve FM 1103 from I-35 to Rodeo Way in Comal and Guadalupe Counties has been in the planning stages for years. The project kicked off last November but came to a screeching halt weeks ago.
Now, residents want to know why TxDOT left the road in arguably worse shape than when they started the work, riddled with potholes.
One Schertz resident created an “art piece” he’s calling “Pothole Grave.” As of Friday, there were six hubcaps hanging from netting on the side of FM 1103.
“I’ve watched many people hit the pothole and actually blow tires out, too,” Spencer Du Chene said.
“Current record is three hubcaps off one vehicle,” Du Chene said.
He posted a picture of the display in a community Facebook group and has received nearly 100 comments as of Friday afternoon.
“The top right one is mine lost it on Monday last week,” one person responded.
Another said the potholes messed up her tire sensors, while a third person posted photos of their busted tires.
The Schertz Police Department posted a Facebook message earlier this week saying the improvement project encountered heavy rains and “several issues” that have delayed field activities.
“As a result, there may be times of limited work activity,” the post stated.
KSAT has asked TxDOT why the project was delayed but is still waiting for a response.
The FM 1103 project will expand the two-lane road to a four-lane road with a center turn lane. Sidewalks and bike lanes will also be added in each direction. The project is planned for completion in five stages, with an end goal of 2026 for the entire project. There’s no word whether the current delays will affect the project’s timeline.
The traffic on FM 1103 from I-35 to Steele High School has increased exponentially in the last decade, with thousands of new homes built in neighborhoods that used to be farmland.
Schertz has more than doubled in size in the last 20 years, with a current population of about 43,000, while Cibolo’s growth has been dramatically faster. The current population of 32,000 is about 10 times what it was 20 years ago.
The few farms that remain along FM 1103 are surrounded by suburban neighborhoods and businesses.
Development maps in Schertz and Cibolo show plans for more homes, retail centers, a gas station, businesses and coffee shops all along the busy four-mile stretch of road.
In January, H-E-B opened a store on FM 1103 to service residents in the fast-growing area.