TRANSPORTATIONUPDATES
TxDOT declares 2021 second-deadliest year for Texas roadways; tra c deaths up 15%over 2020
ONGOING PROJECTS
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BULLICK HOLLOW RD.
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BY MIKAH BOYD
TRAFFIC TRAGEDIES While most tra c crashes did not result in injuries, thousands of Texans died
Roadways are becoming increas- ingly deadly, according to a news release from the Texas Department of Transportation that detailed ndings that are part of a larger issue nationwide. TxDOT reported in March there were more than 4,480 deaths on Texas roads in 2021, only a little behind 1981, the deadliest year to date with over 4,701 deaths. Roadway deaths are also on the rise nationwide. O cials reported an estimated 20,160 people died from vehicular crashes in the rst half of 2021, 18.4% higher than in 2020. Texas saw an increase of almost 15% from 2020-21. TxDOT elaborated on the shared responsibility drivers, roadway engineers and law enforcement have to reduce deaths on Texas roads. “Driver behavior is one of the causes but also one of the most important solutions,” Transportation Commissioner Laura Ryan said in a news release. “This is not blame. These are facts. We all have a role. TxDOT can do more, and we accept that responsibility. The driving public can do more. For instance, in 2021, a total of 1,522 people were killed because of speed, and a total of 1,219 were killed because they were not wearing a seat belt. These were decisions made by people that could have potentially saved 2,741 lives.” Art Markman, a psychology professor at The University of Texas, informed TxDOT leaders and
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or faced serious injuries on the roads in 2021. Reported vehicle crashes in Texas in 2021
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RM 620/RM 2222 bypass The RM 620/RM 2222 bypass opened to tra c with two lanes in each direc- tion April 29. Northbound tra c ows into a dedicated lane on eastbound RM 2222 and is no longer required to stop at a signal. Work continues on RM 2222 between the bypass road and RM 620, and the project is expected to be completed by late 2022. Timeline: December 2019-late 2022 Cost: $10 million Funding source: city of Austin, Texas Department of Transportation
Noninjuries
1.07M
137.4K Possible injuries 100.4K Unknown injuries
“WEMUST DOBETTER FOR OURSELVES, OUR LOVED ONES ANDOUR LARGER COMMUNITYOF TEXANS.” LAURA RYAN, TRANSPORTATION COMMISSIONER
82.5K Suspected minor injuries 19.4K Suspected serious injuries
4.5K Fatalities
SOURCE: TEXAS PEACE OFFICER’S CRASH REPORTS COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER
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transportation stakeholders at the annual Texas Transportation Forum in February about coronavirus-related pressures that have had a negative impact on Texas roadways. “We have to remind people that they are part of a community,” Markman said. “We have to start considering everyone as part of our community. If we don’t do that, there are going to be all sorts of negative consequences, and those are going to include negative consequences on the road.” The release provided information on initiatives TxDOT is researching and studying before implementing to aid in roadway safety. Some of the initiatives include tra c safety campaigns and law enforcement funding grants as well as proven
life-saving roadway designs. TxDOT is also reviewing crash data to identify areas where drivers are more likely to crash and will use its ndings to focus improvement initiatives on those areas and share the data with the driving population. O cials within the agency believe the implementation of the above ini- tiatives and focusing on engineering and enforcement will greatly reduce the number of deaths on Texas roads. "But make no mistake: This is an urgent call to action for all of us behind the wheel,” Ryan said. “We can do better. We should do better. We must do better—for ourselves, our loved ones and our larger community of Texans. Not a single death on our roadways is acceptable.”
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ALL INFORMATION ON THIS PAGE WAS UPDATED AS OF MAY 5. NEWS OR QUESTIONS ABOUT THESE OR OTHER LOCAL TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS? EMAIL US AT LTWNEWS COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM. should begin after Memorial Day. Timeline: late 2021-late 2023 Cost: $13.7 million Funding sources: TxDOT, Travis County Hamilton Pool Road widening Utility work is underway and should be complete within the next few weeks, weather permitting. Roadway construction will begin after the utility work and will include pipe installations and roadway widening. Lane closures
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LAKE TRAVIS WESTLAKE EDITION • MAY 2022
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