Commissioners approve study to make State Highway 21 safer

A study will look at how to make State Highway 21 easier and safer to travel. 

The Hays County Commissioners Court approved the execution of a professional services agreement with HDR, Inc for Corridor Preservation Study services on the SH 21 Corridor Improvements Project from U.S. 183 to the existing five-lane section in San Marcos as part of the Hays County 2016 Road Bond Program during Tuesday’s meeting. 

SH 21, also known as Camino Real because it follows along the old Spanish “King’s Road," will undergo a long-range study following its passage on Tuesday. The agenda item was co-sponsored by Precinct 1 Commissioner Debbie Gonzales Ingalsbe and Precinct 2 Commissioner Mark Jones.

“This is Hays County living up to a long-term commitment,” Ingalsbe said in a statement. “We’ve made a number of improvements to SH 21 over the years. Now we’re looking at the long-term and the big picture: How do we plan this road to meet the demands of the future and the growth we know is likely to keep coming?”

“We’re one of the state’s fastest growing counties,” Jones added. “We’re seeing very rapid growth along SH 21, and even more growth planned. In addition, SH 21 is a major route for car and truck traffic passing through our region. We have to think ahead to make this road safe and to keep traffic moving.” 

The approved study will look at a critical section of the road — an approximately 17-mile stretch between its intersection with State Highway 80 in San Marcos and the Hays County line near U.S. 183 at the Travis County line. 

Hays County will cooperate with the Texas Department of Transportation and other local governments on the project. 

The study’s goal is to establish a detailed, long-term plan to improve the highway through the county in multiple phases. The study will analyze traffic and population projections, environmental constraints, existing buildings, historic sites and several other issues to improve the highway and areas around it.  

According to TxDOT crash data, at least 37 fatalities have occured on the road within the study area over the years of 2016-2018. 

“It’s not just fatalities,” Jones said. “We’ve also had a lot of injuries on SH 21, and there can be delays, congestion, and flooding problems at certain choke points and intersections.” 

Justice of the Peace Beth Smith, who is called to the scene of crashes to verify deaths, calls SH 21 one of the most dangerous roads in Hays County. 

“Personally, I avoid that road as much as possible because I’ve seen some of the worst fatalities there as anywhere in my precinct,” Smith said in a statement. “One collision that killed a young family of three, the child being a four-year old traveling home from a Christmas trip, has haunted my mind for eight years. They’re all tragic, but some are even harder to leave behind than others.” 

The SH 21 study will be funded by bond money approved by Hays County voters in November 2016. The county plans to hold public meetings in the spring and will launch a website to discuss the study. Additionally, the county will hold stakeholder meetings with cities, school districts, other organizations and landowners who may be affected by the study.