Public Works began the South Alamo project in March and expects to wrap up construction by early 2025. Credit: X / @SAPublicWorks

San Antonio Public Works became a punch line on social media after the city department shared a video explaining how those attending NIOSA, one of Fiesta’s busiest events, should navigate ongoing construction on South Alamo Street.

The video, shot from a first-person POV and tweeted out Wednesday, tells viewers via instructions flashed onscreen to “Start at E. Market and head South towards (sic) E. Nueva St.” Pedestrians should then “cross at the SOUTH side of E. Nueva” and “Safely cross E. Nueva to La Villita,” it continues.

Public Works’ instructional video also showed off the department’s new “Walk This Way” guidance markers, which pedestrians can scan if they become confused or lost amid traffic cones and construction tape.

Social media users, including some who have been past critics of the city’s handling of the South Alamo project, were quick to poke fun at the video.

“Omg it looks like shit,” user @HELENS1TA responded on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter.

“Y’all couldn’t have painted the barriers fiesta colors? Created a cute ‘Fiesta Trail’ sign or something? Better yet… finish on time ?” chimed in user @beatbyanalisa. “MISSED OPPORTUNITY.”

“I know the last thing COSAGOV wants to do is put a black eye on Fiesta. But Fiesta is here, and this obstacle course for citizens is as ugly as it gets,” @YouNOTthefather tweeted.

Meanwhile, former San Antonio Report journalist Sandra Santos commented on Public Works’ spelling error in the video, noting that “there is no ‘S’ in toward.”

Public Works may have posted its explainer in response to a clip X user @isaiahfromtexas shared earlier this week. In that video, the social media user navigates the same route, except at night.

“This is what it’s like walking from Alamp Plaza to Hemisfair, @isaiahfromtexas wrote in the caption to his video. “The only light is from the Hilton hotel. And Fiesta is in less than two week. @COSAGOV someone tag the mayor cos I’m blocked.”

Public Works began work on the South Alamo Street project in March when construction crews shut down the street’s northbound lanes between Market Street and Cesar E. Chavez Boulevard, KSAT reports.

Since then, owners of center-city small businesses along the route, including local bar owner Aaron Peña have lobbed criticism at the city’s handling of the project. Peña, who’s part owner of Southtown bar Gimme Gimme, was unable to access his business all day on April 11 when Public Works closed down traffic in both directions on South Presa and Camargo streets.

Although the lanes were reopened a day later, Peña, who shut down his bar, the Squeeze Box, due to construction on the St. Mary’s Strip last year, told the Current that he’s frustrated by the city’s lack of communication and transparency on construction projects.

“I feel like they’re following me,” Peña said.

Public Works expects to complete the South Alamo project by early 2025, KSAT reports.

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This article appears in Apr 17-30, 2024.

Michael Karlis is a multimedia journalist at the San Antonio Current, whose coverage in print and on social media focuses on local and state politics. He is a graduate of American University in Washington,...