The projects include the extension of Inner Circle Road from its current endpoint at Louis Bauer Drive to Research Plaza, and Research Plaza to South Presa Street which then connects to Loop 410.
The District 3 community, local officials, and Brooks all gathered to celebrate the completion of two voter-approved road projects. The $13.3 million investment includes Inner Circle Road from its current endpoint at Louis Bauer Drive to Research Plaza and the extension of Research Plaza from Inner Circle Drive to South Presa Street.
“We have the citizens of San Antonio to thank for helping us address the connectivity needs of District 3, the Brooks community, and surrounding region,” said Councilwoman Phyllis Viagran. “We are collaboratively working to enhance investment and development for our residents. We know roads equal jobs, and at Brooks there’s thousands of nearby, quality jobs for those in our community to take advantage of.”
The Inner Circle Road project, led by General Contractor Yantis Company and Pape-Dawson engineering as the prime consultant, features a three-lane roadway with bike lanes, curbs, and sidewalks. Low Impact Development (LID) features are added along the roadway to improve drainage, as well as a variety of landscaping features.
The Research Plaza to South Presa Project, led by General Contactor EZ Bell and Pape-Dawson as the engineering consultant & civil design firm, consists of a four-lane roadway, landscaped center median and necessary curb, sidewalk, and driveway approaches. The project includes Low Impact Development (LID) features, drainage improvements, and utility improvements.
More than $130 million has been invested in the various roads across the growing Brooks community, and $15 million for a portion of Sidney Brooks, the main east-to-west corridor on the Brooks campus, is included in the City’s 2022 Bond Program.
“Investment in infrastructure is critical in helping us get one step closer to our goal, which is creating regional prosperity by attracting businesses to the area, quality schools, jobs, and housing,” said Brooks Board Chairman Jim Campbell. “Thanks to the voter-approved funding for these roads, we were able to secure an additional employer, a French-based food manufacturing company, Bakerly, which will add hundreds of more jobs.”
Just this year, Bakerly and Soli Organic announced the opening of facilities nearby the newly extended Research Plaza and Inner Circle Drive, totaling hundreds of jobs being added to the Brooks campus as a result of updated infrastructure.
Bakerly LLC, producer of French-style breads and pastries, is nearing completion of a $35 million, 137,000-square-foot facility along Research Plaza. The road will be beneficial for the added employees and day-to-day operations, which is expected to begin summer 2023.
Nearby major employers include Mission Solar Energy, the Emergency Operations Center, and Mission Trail Baptist Hospital. The 1,308-acre Brooks campus is currently home to more than 3,300 employees and is expected to support more than 17,000 jobs in the region by 2040.