Making Connections

Nation's largest land bridge for people and wildlife opens in San Antonio

The bridge is officially open to the public.

Courtesy rendering

A very special public (and animal!) works project is now open in the Alamo City. Robert L.B. Tobin Land Bridge, the United States' largest wildlife crossing, opened in Northwest San Antonio on December 11.

At 1 pm on Friday, officials lifted construction barriers on the new land bridge, which connects two previously divided halves of the 330-acre Phil Hardberger Park. The bridge's location helps reclaim natural habitat above Wurzbach Parkway, and its design helps pedestrians and wildlife move freely — and safely — between the two portions of the park.

If you've seen that viral video of a new wildlife bridge in Utah that has been making the rounds on the internet, then you're aware of the land bridge trend. But more than that, these innovative structures help ease wildlife-related crashes and help reconnect fractured habitats in an increasingly urban world.

In San Antonio, the Tobin Land Bridge will also serve as a living classroom and community space.

“For many years, the Robert L.B. Tobin Land Bridge was only a dream. Thanks to overwhelming community support of the 2017 Bond, the generosity of donors from across the city and the hard work and dedication of so many, the vision is now a reality,” said former San Antonio Mayor Phil Hardberger, who celebrated the bridge's opening.

As Hardberger mentioned, the bridge was a public-private endeavor, funded through both donations and the portion approved by voters as part of the 2017-2022 bond package.

Due to COVID-19, no formal ceremonies will take place, but officials caution big crowds during opening weekend. If you just can't wait to traipse over the bridge, please wear a mask and maintain social distancing.

To enter the bridge, humans can use the Military park entrance at 8400 NW Military Hwy. via the Savanna Loop trail or from the Blanco Road entrance 13203 Blanco Rd. via the Water Loop trail. (Wildlife may enter where they please.) The shortest trail is a half-mile, so be prepared to walk at least 1 mile, if not more.

Hours of operation are daily, from sunrise to sunset.

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pack your patience

Austin airport could see a quarter of holiday flights delayed, report says

Austin-Bergstrom International Airport/Facebook

Austinites don't need to stress out about flying through the city's airport this holiday season.

Ahead of the busy holiday season, Austinites may want to budget some extra time into their travel plans before flying out of the city's bustling airport.

Austin-Bergstrom International Airport was just declared the 11th best airport in the nation for on-time travel by consumer review platform ConsumerAffairs, which analyzed the rates of moderate and severe delays, diversions, and cancellations at the 29 largest U.S. airports. Austin-Bergstrom also appeared as the 11th best airport where holiday travel causes the fewest disruptions.

The Austin airport has the 8th lowest rate of flight cancellations nationally, the report revealed. About one percent (0.99 percent) of all flights are cancelled, and 22.43 percent of all cancellations were the last flight of the day to that destination. The average number of same-day flights to the canceled destination at AUS is 3.02, so there's a good chance travelers will get re-booked quickly.

Additionally, AUS has the 13th lowest moderate delay rate out of all major airports examined, with 20.20 percent of flights delayed by 15 minutes and up to three hours. About 1.5 percent of all flights are delayed by more than three hours, making AUS the 16th worst airport for severe delays.

Flying through Austin likely won't be as stressful as many other places during the holidays, as 23.40 percent of flights are expected to experience disruptions during the Thanksgiving and winter holiday travel periods. They span the Tuesday before Thanksgiving through the Monday after (November 24-30), and from December 18 to January 5.

AUS has the No. 5 lowest holiday disruption rate out of all major airports, and the 14th lowest severe holiday delay rate. Only 1.7 percent of all flights are expected to be delayed more than three hours during the holidays.

The report offers the following suggestions to help anxious travelers avoid flight disruptions: look into travel insurance to protect against delays or cancellations; look for nonstop flights; or book flights with earlier departure times on an airline with multiple departures to your destination.

For flights that do get delayed or cancelled, travelers need to "act fast" to rectify their situation, says Jennifer Rykaczewski, the CEO of nonprofit consumer advocacy organization Affordable Skies.

"In the first 10 minutes, open the airline app, see whether you have already been rebooked and search for acceptable alternatives," Rykaczewski said. "Throughout the process, save any documentation of the delay or cancellation, plus receipts for meals or hotels, in case you need it for an insurance claim later."

The best and worst major airports in the U.S.
Surprisingly, Los Angeles International Airport landed as the best major airport for avoiding travel disruptions out of the 29 biggest airports in the U.S. Phoenix Sky Harbor International (No. 2) and Seattle-Tacoma International (No. 3) round out the top three best airports for on-time travel.

Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Arlington, Virginia, led the nation as the No. 1 worst major airport for flight delays and cancellations. Two Texas airports appear among the top-10 worst: Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (No. 2) and George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston (No. 10).

Unlike many other airports on the list that experience high cancellation rates, the report revealed DFW's biggest issue is its high volume of flight delays. DFW has the No. 1 highest moderate delay rate out of all the airports examined, with more than a quarter of all flights (25.18 percent) delayed by 15 minutes and up to three hours.

"It’s the kind of delay that eats into your day without necessarily blowing up your whole trip," the report's author wrote.

Nearly two percent of all flights are delayed over three hours, making DFW the fifth worst airport for severe delays. However, the study says there is a silver lining for travelers saddled with severe disruptions.

"DFW offered more scheduled backup flights to the same destination than many of the other airports on this list, giving travelers a decent shot at rebooking if a flight fell through," the report said.

The top 10 worst U.S. airports for delays and cancellations are:

No. 1 – Ronald Reagan Washington National
No. 2 – Dallas Fort Worth International
No. 3 – Newark Liberty International
No. 4 – Miami International
No. 5 – Philadelphia International
No. 6 – Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International
No. 7 – LaGuardia
No. 8 – Tampa International
No. 9 – Washington Dulles International
No. 10 – George Bush Intercontinental

consumeraffairs flight delays flights holiday travel travel austin austin bergstrom austin airport