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July 7, 2010 · San Antonio lawmakers accepted a big check from the federal government on Wednesday. The money will be used to make infrastructure improvements around Fort Sam Houston.
The 1.3 million dollar grant comes from the U.S. Department of Commerce and is part of the federal stimulus package passed by Congress last year. It will be used to help revitalize the Walters Street area on the city’s eastside as Fort Sam Houston continues to expand from construction tied to the Base Realignment and Closure or BRAC plan. San Antonio Congressman Charlie Gonzalez delivered the check to city officials.
“The BRAC money, as we all know, is going to be spent within the perimeters of the installation: the fort, the base. But there are consequences to all of the community that actually abuts the military installation that’s being plused up, and what we’re seeing here,” said Congressman Gonzalez.
Millions of dollars have been poured into on base construction, but there has been little money to deal with traffic and other infrastructure problems created by that expansion. San Antonio Mayor Julian Castro says the money will be put to good use.
“This Walters Street improvement will serve the neighborhoods around the post well, will serve all of the thousands of men and women who use this avenue on a daily basis,” said Mayor Castro.
Work on the Walters Street Corridor is set to begin in the next couple of months. All BRAC construction and transition at Fort Sam Houston is scheduled to be complete by September, 2011.
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