(Seguin) — Guadalupe County is putting pressure on TxDOT to help save lives at an area intersection.
The Guadalupe County Commissioners Court on Tuesday signed a resolution urging the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) to install a traffic-control signal as soon as possible at the intersection of FM 1044 and FM 78, just east of Marion.
Bringing the issue to the forefront was County Commissioner Pct. 4 Stephen Germann. Germann says this intersection is one of the most if not the most dangerous intersection in the county.
“It’s unfathomable what is going on in this intersection. We are averaging a collision right now every two weeks. Most of the time, they are three car collisions. A few years ago, two people were killed. We can not get TxDOT to move forward. They are consistently ‘on their schedule.’ I’ve been told by TxDOT these things take time. I told TxDOT, the person dying in their car just ran out of time,” said Germann.
Although Germann has worked steadily to not lose site of this project, the issue of installing a traffic light initially began with Commissioner Pct. 1 Greg Seidenberger.
Seidenberger stated that although the plans are in place to get the job done, the work has not started and applauds Germann and the rest of the court for taking this latest action to help speed up the process.
Germann says 1,000 signatures “from citizens petitioning to install this light’ can be found on his desk. He says citizens are calling daily and sending photos of accidents that are happening weekly. He says the county can not afford another fatal accident and would like the state to expedite this project for citizen safety.
“They want to point the finger at the railroad and say that the railroad is the problem because the railroad is not working with them because the railroad control arms have to work simultaneously with the traffic light on 78. I have been talking extensively with Henry Cuellar, our Congressman Henry Cuellar, and he has assured me — do not worry about the railroad. We will get the railroad to cooperate. This is just crazy. I mean if you put it off just for one year, that’s 25 wrecks if we average every two weeks,” said Germann.
Guadalupe County Judge Kyle Kutscher says the bottom line is safety and adds that a tremendous amount of work has already taken place and all from an engineering standpoint — environmental clearance, right-of-ways and safety.
“I am absolutely in favor of the resolution. It is extremely unsafe, traffic has increased dramatically over the last few years but I also want to manage our expectations that a resolution may help but in TxDOT’s eyes, they are moving fast. There are partners and we work with them and I know its cumbersome to say the least working with UP or any railroad when they have kind of original jurisdiction and authority over what goes over their rail and how traffic interacts there but again with some state leaders already giving involved with I think it was John Kuempel, Donna Campbell, a number of them that have pushed. Everybody wants to help. Nobody has said ‘hey, hold on a second, we don’t need a light.’ It’s just the amount of time it is taking. Another couple of accidents is too many. We are almost at this point begging and urging TxDOT at the same time to see if they can move a little quicker. Even if it’s a couple of weeks faster, it’s better than nothing. It’s like just put the thing up please! Please, we are asking you. Do something quicker,” said Kutscher.
Kutscher says an increase in traffic and growth around that area only increases the risk of injury and death.
“With the TxDOT IH 10 Expansion project underway, even more drivers will be utilizing FM 78. When the Union Pacific Railroad is in play and closes off access to FM 1044, a light will help alert drivers. Communicating and telling commuters to be safe in this area is not enough. We must expedite this request for a traffic light to be installed on FM 78 and FM 1044 intersection to all agencies involved, including our state representatives, and this resolution will help,” said Kutscher.
The resolution approved Tuesday not only urges an expedited course of action to eliminate the unnecessary and hazardous conditions of that intersection but it also reduces the excessive congestion that is being experienced by all those who travel these roads. Plus, the resolution advises drivers to be aware of this specific intersection and to leave with plenty of time to get to their destination safely.
