Cy-Fair Edition | May 2022

TRANSPORTATIONUPDATES TxDOT declares 2021 second-deadliest year for Texas roadways; trac deaths up 15%over 2020

COMPILED BY MIKAH BOYD

UPCOMING PROJECT

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The Texas Department of Trans- portation sent out a press release in March detailing its ndings that are part of a larger issue nationwide: Roadways are becoming increasingly deadly. TxDOT reported 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. Ocials 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 among Texas drivers, roadway engineers and law enforce- ment to reduce the number of 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 trans- portation stakeholders at the annual

TRAFFIC TRAGEDIES While most trac crashes did not result in injuries, thousands of Texans died

or faced serious injuries on the roads in 2021. Reported vehicle crashes in Texas in 2021

ALL INFORMATION ON THIS PAGE WAS UPDATED AS OF APRIL 4. NEWS OR QUESTIONS ABOUT THESE OR OTHER LOCAL TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS? EMAIL US AT CYFNEWSCOMMUNITYIMPACT.COM. time temperatures to set properly. “Within this corridor, ... TxDOT is developing a schematic for a grade- separated intersection for [Hwy.] 6 at Clay Road as well as looking at intersection improvements for the intersection of [Hwy.] 6 at FM 529; however, those are in the very early schematic development phase, are not yet funded, and will likely not go to construction (if funded) for many years,” Black said. Timeline: May 2022-second quarter 2023 Cost: $8.98 million Funding source: TxDOT Hwy. 6 resurfacing Ocials with the Texas Department of Transportation said work will start in May on a resurfacing project along an 8.5-mile portion of Hwy. 6 in the Cy- Fair area. The project will involve the resurfacing of roadways to eliminate cracks and potholes developed over time. Benets include a smoother driving surface and a safer roadway for drivers, according to TxDOT Public Information Ocer Emily Black. The project will span from Hwy. 290 to Park Row, just north of I-10. The rst section of work will extend from Hwy. 290 to Aspenglenn Drive, and the second will stretch from Aspen- glenn Drive to Park Row. While the project went out for bid in August, the contract has been suspended due to nighttime temperatures remaining below 70 degrees. The type of asphalt being installed requires higher night-

Noninjuries

1.07M

137.4K Possible injuries 100.4K Unknown injuries

“WEMUST DOBETTERFOR 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 REPORTSCOMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER

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 trac safety cam- paigns 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. Ocials 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 bet- ter. 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. Let’s end this streak.”

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CYFAIR EDITION • MAY 2022