SAN ANTONIO – With the NCAA Men’s Final Four around the corner, the City of San Antonio is taking measures to ensure future visitors are “safe and accessible” along South Alamo Street, which has been undergoing construction since 2022.
The changes include the creation of temporary pedestrian paths, pavement markings, lighting, adjustments to fencing and the widening of sidewalks, a Public Works spokesperson said.
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It’s estimated to cost $800,000, and people can expect to see ongoing construction for the project halted from April 4-7.
KSAT spoke with Razi Hosseini, the director of the Public Works Department, about the changes and asked whether he believes the money spent accommodating visitors was worth it.
Hosseini replied, “Yes,” stating that the safety of what was expected to be a massive amount of visitors was important to them.
“We are anticipating 100,000 people coming in a short period of time. Their safety is very important for us. It’s important for the City of San Antonio,” Hosseini said. “We want to make sure people walk away with a good experience, being cared for by the Final Four, and they can come back in the future.”
While some may think the city is wasting money on these temporary enhancements, Hosseini thinks otherwise, as he believes this is a small investment for the influx of revenue coming from the Final Four.
He referenced City Manager Erik Walsh, who explained to councilmembers during Wednesday’s meeting that the city is projected to make $440 million from the tournament, which is massive compared to the $800,000.
“Very small investment,” Hosseini said.
Once the Final Four is over, Hosseini said the temporary fixes will get removed to pave way for the final project. However, it’s unknown when that will happen.
The South Alamo project is scheduled to be completed in Spring 2026, a Public Works spokesperson said.
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