Burnet County highway deaths prompt road safety campaign

CONNIE SWINNEY • STAFF WRITER

MARBLE FALLS — A county official and a business owner have launched an effort to coax the Texas Department of Transportation to research traffic safety and potential upgrades along state highways in and around the Burnet, Horseshoe Bay, Marble Falls and Spicewood communities.

A spike in traffic deaths on those roadways has prompted the campaign to present the issue to the Texas agency tasked with funding state highway projects, proponents say.Most recently, hundreds of residents have signed a www.change.org petition asking TxDOT  to consider a turn-lane at the intersection where a man died in a crash in front of a business.

FIND THE PETITION HERE:

“I’m not saying a turning lane would solve everything, but it would greatly minimize (the danger),” said Candice Cozby, co-owner of EZ Heat, 7375 U.S. 281. Cozby worked with the crash victim, prompting her to start the online petition.

On Nov. 24, one of Cozby’s employees, 40-year-old Gabriel Brondo, was killed when an 18-wheeler struck his 2001 Honda Accord from behind on U.S. 281 as he waited to turn into the business to start his work day.

READ MORE HERE:

“Since then it’s just been really heavy on my heart,” she said. “I always knew there was a need for (a turn lane).”
On March 31, Cozby met with TxDOT officials after she reached out to them with the petition and her request for a turn-lane where the accident occurred near the intersection with CR 403.

“(Gabriel’s) kids have to grow up without a dad,” Cozby said. “It’s just so unnecessary.”

A county official, who recently lost a county staff member in another collision farther north on U.S. 281, has also voiced traffic safety concerns.

In that crash on March 7, 32-year-old Benjamin Weems was killed while driving a Burnet County dump truck as an 18-wheeler pulled out of a quarry entryway on U.S. 281 between Burnet and Marble Falls.

READ MORE HERE:

“I signed the petition,” said Burnet County Judge James Oakley of the effort launched by Cozby. “Anything we can do to raise awareness and communicate to TxDOT what is important to us is a valuable thing, and there’s different ways to do that.”

Oakley has raised concerns in areas beyond the U.S. 281/CR 403 intersection in his roles on transportation entities such as the Capitol Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (CAMPO).

“Safety enhancements to the existing infrastructure is an ongoing battle. We’re seeking different ways to get TxDOT funding on adding turn lanes and shoulders in some of our high-traffic areas,” he said. “It’s not limited to one geographic location. We’ve got growth in all spots of the county. The whole 281 corridor is being used as an alternate to I-35.”

The danger zones extend to all corners of the county.

“We’ve got Highway 29 between Bertram and Liberty Hill is very much in need of some turn lanes and even the other direction on the west side of Burnet going out to the lake, that’s a curvy section of Highway 29 that has no center turn lanes,” he said. “That alignment there is curves and hills. Then we have Highway 71 that continues to be highly utilized. The truck traffic is up also because of the increased usage of rock quarries.”

TxDOT officials say the entity is looking into concerns.

“Safety is a priority for TxDOT, and we’re committed to achieving that goal. Just like you, we want to ensure our transportation is as safe as possible for all motorists,” said TxDOT spokeswoman Kelli Reyna in a statement.

Officials also addressed the petition request.

“At this time, we don’t have any plans for turn lanes in this location, but our traffic team is researching crash data and looking into this to see what our options are,” Reyna stated. “We are here to listen and gather information from citizens so we can make sure we understand their concerns and can determine the appropriate steps moving forward.”

Cozby said she fears more death on the roadways throughout the area if TxDOT does not act.

“There has been a lot of accidents. It’s everywhere, 71, 281, Highway 29,” she said. “Kids are dying and families are having to grieve this. It just breaks my heart.”

Those who come to the aid of motorists who fall victim to traffic issues face an increasing risk as well.

On Sept. 18, 35-year-old Daniel Hampton, a Burnet firefighter and EMT, died after the ambulance he was driving crashed into the back of an 18-wheeler on Texas 29 between Bertram and Liberty Hill. The crash also injured fellow paramedic Timothy Pierce and a patient being transported.

READ MORE HERE:

Oakley said increased traffic prompted by growth and expanding industry has magnified the dangers.

“With growth comes the needs for the products. For roads, driveways, foundations, the concrete plants,” he said. “We need our roads to be able to be designed such that they can accommodate that traffic.”

Funding remains an issue with regard to upgrades.

Currently, 25 percent of the state sales tax on fuel generates approximately $750 million per year for transportation.

“Of the 20 cents per gallon that each of us as consumers pay, that’s not enough. Money is still an issue,” Oakley said. “Funding has not been solved for TxDOT.”

Another funding mechanism involves Proposition 1, passed by voters to divert a portion of oil and gas tax revenues from the Economic Stabilization Fund into the State Highway Fund.

The fund generated approximately $1.7 billion in 2015.

For distribution, state officials earmarked 45 percent to urban areas, 25 percent to connecting state highways in rural areas, 20 percent for maintenance needs and 10 percent for roadway safety in areas impacted by the energy sector, according to TxDOT figures.

“The projects that eat up a lot of cost are in the metropolitan area; be it Houston, Dallas, Austin I-35. Those are very expensive projects. That funding is not an answer all. There’s still not enough money,” Oakley said. “That’s why I intend to advocate a voter referendum through this next legislative process that would look to keep all gas tax money towards transportation projects.”

Through Cozby’s effort she hopes to highlight the personal loss tied to the crash statistics.

“It’s absolutely terrifying. I’ve had multiple close calls. The 18-wheelers are huge and they take up a lot of space on the highway.

I’ve had panic attacks,” she said. “I’m literally praying to God saying, ‘I don’t want this to be it.’ I don’t want to be dramatic about it, but it’s the truth, and I’m not the only one that’s had that problem.”

In an area transitioning “from rural to metropolitan-affected,” county officials believe such incidents will become more common.

“Economic growth is a good thing, but there are drag-alongs that come with it,” Oakley said. “Being able to accommodate the traffic that comes along with that growth is part of it.”

connie@thepicayune.com