SAN ANTONIO – The City of San Antonio has secured $31 million in funding for the Zarzamora-Frio City, Union Pacific Railroad crossing overpass.

The Alamo Area Metropolitan Planning Organization approved $19.5 million in state funding, the other $10 million for the project was approved through the 2017 $170 million Transportation Improvement bond.

The city has identified 16 properties that could be impacted, including homes and businesses.

The city will now move forward with an engineering design. The design will be presented to the community, but will not require a vote, according to District 5 Councilwoman Shirley Gonzales.

It could be several months before a design is finalized. Once the design is complete, the city will contact property owners directly impacted.

The overpass construction could take anywhere from three to five years to complete once groundbreaking begins.

Gonzales says it will open up the southwest side to new developments.

“It’s going to mean more businesses, more development. It’s going to mean that people can get to their jobs on time. People can get to school on time. Emergency vehicles can get to their destination quickly, and it gives us all kinds of options for development here,” Gonzales said. “We know we'll get lots of community input. It is still a neighborhood, so we need to make sure it fits in theme with the neighborhood and that they have a say in what the design ultimately looks like.”