McMULLEN COUNTY, Texas – Since the oil and gas boom hit McMullen County, commercial 18-wheelers, flatbeds hauling over-sized equipment and company work trucks now dominate its rural landscape.
Tilden, with its single traffic light and one convenience store, has seen a major increase in traffic.
Recommended Videos
"Traffic is probably 10 to 15 times what it used to be," said McMullen County Sheriff Bruce Thomas.
Thomas said he blames the increase for what have become dangerous driving conditions in McMullen County.
"Normally we've had anywhere from eight to 15 accidents in a year's time and this year, we're already at the 50 mark," Thomas said. He said many of those were oilfield-related.
He said three have involved fatalities, killing five oilfield workers in just the past two weeks, all on Texas Highway 72, a two-lane rural road.
Thomas said the situation is critical enough that he has hired two deputies for his small department and borrowed DPS troopers from neighboring Live Oak County.
Even then, he said they are struggling to keep up.
Thomas said he also is asking State Senator Judith Zaffirini for her help in having two DPS troopers re-assigned to Brooks County.
Thomas said several oil and gas companies now have hired former police officers to track employee safety records.
He said his deputies have issued 2,100 citations bringing those drivers into court.
Thomas also said the large vehicles weighing thousands of pounds have taken a toll on county roads.
Several McMullen County residents said the oilfield traffic makes it nearly impossible at times to cross Highway 16, the county's main road.
They said traffic often is backed up waiting for over-sized loads to make it through town.
They also said they've experienced big rigs pulling out in front of them and other close calls.
Jennifer Aguilar, who sells barbecue roadside along Highway 16, said two oilfield trucks zoomed past her on the left as she was waiting to turn.
"If I would have turned there and not looked back, they would have plowed right over us," Aguilar said.
Tambra Penny, who said she is nearly three months pregnant, was riding with Aguilar. "I was scared," Penny said. "I just put my head down and ducked."