Turn lane, stoplight should make Horseshoe Bay roadways safer
The stoplight at the intersection of FM 2147 in Horseshoe Bay and Texas 71 makes turning onto either roadway safer, according to Horseshoe Bay City Manager Stan Farmer. Staff photo by Jennifer Fierro
The addition of a turn lane and stop light should make traveling safer in Horseshoe Bay.
The Texas Department of Transportation recently installed a traffic light at the intersection of FM 2147 and Texas 71. TxDOT is also close to finishing a left-turn lane in the 9000 block of 2147 within the city.
Both projects were initiated about three years ago.
City Manager Stan Farmer said the stoplight is a major safety addition.
“There’s lines of sight to the west that aren’t the greatest,” he said, referring to drivers approaching the state highway from 2147 in Horseshoe Bay. “When you look right, west on 71, you can’t really see cars very well, especially if you need to take a left.”
Vehicles on Texas 71 are often traveling at a high rate of speed, about 70 mph. The light offers drivers coming off of 2147 added protection.
Farmer also pointed out the safety aspect of the 2147 turn lane. He noted that drivers on that stretch of road who wanted to turn across oncoming traffic would have to come to a complete stop, forcing those behind them to also stop. Sometimes, drivers in the following vehicles would go around the stopped vehicle onto the shoulder to avoid having to wait.
Either way created headaches and safety issues. And, driving on the shoulder around a stopped vehicle is illegal, Farmer noted.
When the turn lane is completed, it will allow for a better flow of traffic with fewer backups, he said.
2 thoughts on “Turn lane, stoplight should make Horseshoe Bay roadways safer”
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It is step one in making Horseshoe Bay like Austin.
a turn lane from 71 west bound on to 2147 would have been nice.