HELOTES, Texas – Crews have improved a curve off FM 1560 and Riggs Road that drivers called dangerous and deadly with the hope of fewer crashes in the area.
In late 2018 improvements were made to the area to create better traffic flow. However, cement barriers created a new problem for drivers.
Last year, more than 200 people packed the parish hall at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church and voiced their concerns to Texas Department of Transportation officials.
Lucia Hernandez attended the meeting and recalled being hit by a driver when she pulled out onto FM 1560. She blamed the cement barrier and said it created a blind spot.
“There was that block wall of cement that had always been a problem for many accidents,” she said.
However, more than a year later, the barrier has come down, and in its place is a new guard rail.
“Now it’s finished, it’s done. I can see through if there’s a car coming,” Hernandez said.
TxDOT completed the project in early September after complaints had mounted.
Catherine McCoy, the COPS-Metro Alliance leader, said the spot was dangerous to drivers, especially with the growth in the area.
“There’s a lot more traffic, and it’s a lot more dangerous. It could have deadly results,” McCoy said.
She and others gathered at the former problem curve Wednesday afternoon to celebrate the changes.
“People should have a right to know that when they’re on the road that these roads are safe, that the engineers have designed it in a safe way,” McCoy said.
Trees and vegetation also added to drivers' concerns, but a group of volunteers cleaned the area to create a clearer and safer way for drivers.