(Marion) — Guadalupe County is operating with one less dangerous intersection.
Guadalupe County Commissioner Pct. 4 Stephen Germann says he believes less lives will be lost and less folks will be injured thanks to the installation of a traffic signal at the intersection of FM 78 and FM 1044. Germann recently joined a group of officials including those from TxDOT and area law officers in celebrating the traffic light. The light was installed at the railroad crossing just in between McQueeney and Marion.
Germann, who has remained actively involved and vocal in advocating for many residents who requested action at this dangerous intersection, says he is finally relieved that something was done.
“I took office a little over two years ago and we averaged an accident every two weeks. There were a couple of times when we would go for three or four weeks but then we would have two in one day and I came to a lot of them. When I say I think Mr. Faulkner, he would call me and he’d say, hey there is another one and I’d come and I’d look just to see the details and make sure no one was hurt but yes, it was one every two weeks,” said Germann.
Germann says he applauds Guadalupe County Constable Harvey Faulkner and others for the team effort that it took to see this project to fruition.
“I’m very proud of what we’ve done. Our staff and TxDOT and (Constable) Harvey Faulkner, we put a lot of work into this thing. I think it would keep people safer. It has slowed traffic down a lot. I think it’s become quite evident how much traffic there actually is at this intersection and so yes, does it speed traffic up? No, not really but it keeps everybody safer here and that’s what we wanted to do,” said Germann.
In a celebratory photo at the site, Germann held up the petition that included 1,000 signatures in support of the traffic light.
Charles Benavidez, the district engineer for the TxDOT San Antonio District, says although it took some time – time is what was required to make this particular project happen.
“A lot of these projects, it doesn’t get seen but we are coordinating these in the background and this one in particular because it has a railroad component to it. It has a long lead time because we have to do a lot of coordination with the railroad company because when we put a signal here, it’s not just a signal for traffic but we have to coordinate that with the rail arms and so a lot of that depends on the railroad coordination side and then obviously, it being a safety issue, we want to make sure we get these projects done as soon as possible to eliminate the safety hazard,” said Benavidez.
Benavidez says these types of projects remain important for the state agency, especially as this area continues to grow.
“As development goes in – in the region when it comes to subdivisions, traffic — people trying to go to and from Interstate 10 and I-35 — that increase in traffic also increases the odds of something happening at an intersection especially when you are not able to get the gaps on FM 78. As traffic increases on FM 78, people aren’t going to be able to find those gaps to make those movements to turn right or left from the adjacent roads,” said Benavidez.
Also on hand for the celebration was representation from the office of U.S Congressman Henry Cueller.
Jesus Martinez, the congressman’s outreach coordinator, says concerns about this intersection even made their way to the federal level.
He says it was not only local support and state funding that helped make this project happen. He says the congressman also took priority in making this location a safe one.
“It went all the way to the congressional office. The congressman worked behind this numerous times, setting up our staff to meet with officials with TxDOT and Union Pacific — to work together and make this happen as a priority project. Eighty percent comes from federal — the House of Appropriations — based on where the congressman sits and also 20 percent comes from the state. Thanks to the work that the congressman creates in D.C. for all Texans, especially the people here in this district, this project became a priority,” said Martinez.
Even though the traffic light is officially operating, drivers are still being urged to use caution – especially those that drive this route on a regular basis. TxDOT officials say right now, it’s all a change in driver behavior. He says caution is advised as folks take on this learning curve of how to approach the intersection. More importantly, they say watch your speed and stay off those phones.