HAYS COUNTY, Texas (KXAN) — Bill Brock said seeing his granddaughter almost get hit while she was driving his son’s car on Ranch to Market Road 1826 was the last straw.
“I realized that something needed to be done,” Brock said.
That’s why he and others, including Michael Roberts, are working on a community meeting.
“The hopes were we didn’t have to do this in the first place,” Roberts said. “But we’re trying to get attention and show the officials, the elected officials and TxDOT, you know, what the problems are.”
They worry about the traffic surrounding their neighborhoods and areas like a children’s sports academy where Brock and Roberts said many parents and their children visit.
“People have been hit and killed coming out of the entrance back here,” Brock said.
RM 1826 stretches about 12 miles from southwest Travis County near Oak Hill down to Hays County near Driftwood. So far this year, Texas Department of Transportation data shows along 1826 there have been 12 crashes: eight in Hays County and four in Travis County.
These are just some of the pictures of the crashes near the children’s academy on RM 1826 Roberts has captured. (Source: Michael Roberts) These are just some of the pictures of the crashes near the children’s academy on RM 1826 Roberts has captured. (Source: Michael Roberts)
Starting this summer, two TxDOT studies kick off that aim to identify long-term solutions.
“The first from U.S. 290 to the Hays County line, the other picks up from there and takes it to Farm to Market Road 150,” said Brad Wheelis, a TxDOT spokesperson.
They have plans to widen the road. Later this fall, they plan to implement center turn lanes along a section of the Travis County side of the road. However, Hays County neighbor Brock wants to see transportation leaders take action now along his section of the road, not years down the line.
“It’s an overburdened highway,” Brock said. “We want them all to hear how serious it is. It’s time.”
The meeting will take place Monday at Friendship Church right off of RM 1826 starting at 7 p.m.
Brock said, for now, they’re asking county and state officials to make some temporary improvements — things like speed signs — to reduce crashes. For those who are interested but can’t make it, organizers plan to live stream the meeting.
