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A structured approach in San Antonio for cruising on the Southwest Military Drive corridor to connect to the community and showcase vehicles would improve public safety and support local businesses, our guest columnist writes.<\/p>\n
Express-News file photo<\/p>\n
Emilio Flores is a San Antonio-based sales leader at a specialty manufacturer. He resides in the city\u2019s District 5.<\/p>\n
Courtesy of Emilio Flores<\/p>\n
Every Sunday, Southwest Military Drive becomes one of the most active community gatherings in San Antonio.<\/p>\n
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For decades, residents have cruised this corridor to connect, showcase their vehicles and participate in a culture that exists without city funding, promotion or coordination.<\/p>\n
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And every Sunday, the city responds the same way.<\/p>\n
San Antonio relies almost entirely on enforcement-based tactics to manage this activity. Police presence increases, parking lots are cleared, trespass warnings are issued, and crowds are dispersed.<\/p>\n
These efforts address immediate safety concerns, but they do not solve the problem. They relocate it.<\/p>\n
When large gatherings are broken into smaller, less predictable pockets, enforcement becomes more difficult, not less. Activity spills into public streets, intersections and unmonitored areas. The risk the city is trying to reduce becomes harder to control.<\/p>\n
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This is not a lack of effort. It is a lack of strategy.<\/p>\n
Other cities have already moved beyond this approach.<\/p>\n
Cities such as Albuquerque, N.M., have repealed anti-cruising ordinances and shifted toward structured, community-based models that support responsible cruising.<\/p>\n
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The customized engine in a 1991 Honda CRX is displayed on Southwest Military Drive. The area has the infrastructure to support host-controlled, recurring gatherings with minimal disruption.<\/p>\n
EDWARD A. ORNELAS\/SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS<\/p>\n
In October 2023, California enacted Assembly Bill 436, removing the authority of local governments to ban cruising or restrict lowrider vehicles, ending restrictions in place for decades. These shifts reflect a broader recognition that car culture is not something to eliminate but something to manage.<\/p>\n
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San Antonio is not facing a unique problem. It is choosing an outdated response.<\/p>\n
Southwest Military Drive has the infrastructure to support a better approach. Large commercial properties along the corridor have the space and accessibility to host controlled, recurring gatherings with minimal disruption.<\/p>\n
The city should prioritize establishing a path forward in 2026 by partnering with local businesses along the Southwest Military corridor, car clubs and key stakeholders to design and pilot a structured model that is safe, enforceable and sustainable, with clear benchmarks and publicly reported results.<\/p>\n
A successful model would include:<\/p>\n
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Designated time windows for cruising activity.
\nA controlled gathering space hosted in partnership with private property owners.
\nNominal vehicle entry to support operations.
\nPermitted vendors and food trucks to activate the space.
\nSecurity and off-duty officers funded through event revenue.
\nClearly defined and consistently enforced behavioral standards.<\/p>\n
This is not about allowing reckless behavior. It is about creating an environment where expectations are clear, activity is centralized and enforcement is more effective.<\/p>\n
Right now, San Antonio absorbs the full cost and risk of this activity while capturing none of the benefit.<\/p>\n
A structured approach would improve public safety, support local businesses and demonstrate that the city is capable of working with its communities instead of against them.<\/p>\n
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At a minimum, the city should commit to outlining this plan publicly and taking the first steps toward implementation in 2026.<\/p>\n
The city has had years to demonstrate that this approach works, but it has not taken the appropriate action.<\/p>\n
Continuing its approach without exploring a viable alternative is no longer a defensible position.<\/p>\n
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Emilio Flores is a San Antonio-based sales leader at a specialty manufacturer. He resides in the city\u2019s District 5.<\/p>\n
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