Commissioners address dangers on Highway 79

On Tuesday, September 29, Judge Byron Ryder and several Leon County commissioners met with two representatives of TxDOT to discuss the addition of left turn lanes on Highway 79 in order to make the highway safer for travellers and for county residents in several subdivisions.

According to Judge Ryder, "It's been talked about for years that Highway 79 would be widened, but that's not going to happen -- not in OUR lifetime. So I said, 'if you can't do that, at least look at adding some turn lanes." During the meeting, Judge Ryder and the commissioners suggested over 20 places along the highway that would benefit from the addition of turn lanes.

Under present conditions, the busy highway poses a danger to vehicles waiting to turn left onto one of the roads in question. For example: As drivers wait for a break in northbound traffic to safely turn across the roadway, southbound traffic is bearing down upon them. If the approaching drivers are not paying attention, there is potential for a tragic rearend collision that propels the waiting car into on-coming traffic. Adding to the danger factor, a large percentage of Highway 79 traffic is composed of 18-wheers which cannot 'stop on a dime'.

The TxDOT representatives stated that they would make the additions as money is available, and proposed prioritizing the need based upon crash studies compiled over the past five years. Such studies were available on eight of the proposed sites.

Ultimately, three sites considered to be "critical" were determined to have first priority. The first is Highway 79 to FM 3 (a turn into Hilltop out of Marquez); second, Highway 79 to CR 224 (between Buffalo and Oakwood at Peeler Switch); and third, Highway 79 to CR 329 (entrance into the Weedon Addition). By the end of the meeting the TxDOT representatives committed to having turn lanes at these three intersections completed by next summer.