DRIPPING SPRINGS — In April 2024, Hays County conducted a safety study of Fitzhugh Road within the Hays County line.
Residents were invited to attend an open house on Wednesday Oct. 9, to learn about the “potential mobility and safety improvements along Fitzhugh Road including additional signage, pavement markings and intersection improvements,” that were identified during the safety study and to collect feedback, according to the study’s website. The meeting was held at the Dripping Springs Ranch Park and Event Center, not far from the intersection of RM 12 and Fitzhugh Road.
Fitzhugh Road is known to be a narrow, two-lane roadway that serves as a key east to west connector for many parts of Hays County, according to the open house materials. Throughout recent years, many businesses and residents have moved to the area, increasing travelers along the corridor. According to the study, some of the concerns for the current state of the road include how narrow the road and lanes are, road surface conditions and limited visibility and infrastructure (lighting and sidewalks).
Local resident Nadine Roy attended the open house and believes that the biggest concern with Fitzhugh Road’s current status is the safety of those driving it.
“I'm on that road a lot and I see a lot of this,” said Roy. “[Other drivers] try to run me off the road when I drive 35 mph. So, safety is a big key. If they can do stuff just like putting in the signs that say what your speed is will help a lot because nobody pays attention to the speed limit signs.”
Some of the improvements that will be implemented in the near future are adding shoulders to the roads with rumble strips at the turns and corners, installing guardrails with delineators and updating pavement markings. These improvements, along with updating road signs, such as radar speed limit signs and stop signs, are meant to lower instances of speeding and car crashes.
According to the meeting materials, on average, 4,400 vehicles drive this stretch of Fitzhugh Road per day, with 50% traveling westbound and 50% traveling eastbound. This amount of traffic results in a number of accidents.
From 2019 to 2023, 54 car crashes were reported on this corridor of Fitzhugh Road, with a majority of them being multi-car, nonintersection collisions.
44% of all the crashes reported were single vehicle accidents, both at intersections or between them.
According to the study, most of the crashes occurred in four places: the intersections of Fitzhugh Road and RM 12; Fitzhugh and Bonham Ranch Road; Fitzhugh Road and Prestar Circle; and the “eastern half of the hairpin curve between Preslar Circle and Pauls Valley Road.'
On top of these improvements, the 2024 Hays County Road Bond “will propose $5,000,000 for the design and construction of interim safety improvements and a corridor study along Fitzhugh Road from RM 12 to the Travis County line,” the study’s website stated.
Hays County will also be working with Texas Department of Transportation to create turn lanes at the intersection of RM 12 and Fitzhugh, as well as partnering with Travis County to adjust the curve that enters Travis County between Pauls Valley Road and Preslar Circle.
“I'm glad to hear that they're going to do a continued study to look at further things they can do to improve. All looks good to me,” said Roy.
Those who were unable to attend the open house can submit comments through Oct. 25. For more information about the Fitzhugh Road safety study and the plans for the roadway, visit www. fitzhughsafetystudy.com, or contact the county via email at [email protected].
