Despite a recent speed limit reduction on a portion of State Highway 361, some residents believe more could be done to improve safety on the stretch of road between Port Aransas and Corpus Christi.
The speed limit reduction to 50 mph went into effect in late August, weeks after three people died in two separate crashes on the highway.
Residents and business owners shared input on potential safety improvements during an open house hosted by the Texas Department of Transportation on North Padre Island on Sept. 21.
The department is reviewing feedback from the public and will determine how the suggestions can be incorporated into both short-term and long-term solutions, TxDOT spokesperson Rickey Dailey said in an email to the Caller-Times. It was
unclear when changes would be implemented.
TxDOT had received 151 emails from residents about SH 361 as of Sept. 21. The most commonly suggested action was to add a center barrier or median to the highway.
The second most common suggestion was to add more travel lanes or widen the road.
Next was continuing increased law enforcement presence and enforcement on the road, followed by adding traffic signals or controlled intersections.
TxDOT said that some residents had shared that some drivers illegally pass using turn lanes and shoulders, causing dangerous conditions, and that vehicles towing boats and RVs may cross into opposing traffic during wide turns or brake suddenly.
Many residents shared near-miss stories of being forced off the road or nearly rear-ended.
Susanne Jones, a resident of Padre Island, agreed that the reduced speed limit and increased law enforcement presence has made a difference. She was in favor of adding stop lights at intersections to the highway.
"Many of the accidents are caused by people turning onto 361 and colliding with people who are traveling at a high rate of speed on 361, and I think stop lights would make a big difference, " Susanne Jones said.
"There's no reason that should be a dangerous road," she added. "It's straight. It's flat. It should not be dangerous at all, but it is because of the way that people drive, and I think that's where the increased law enforcement presence makes a huge difference."
Deidra Bourland and Lane Bourland, residents of Flour Bluff, said they want to see barriers being installed soon to prevent head-on crashes, as well as traffic lights.
"Widening the road [is] going to take years and years, but an immediate fix would be at least get a block down the middle," Deidra Bourland said. "You're not going to save people from rear-ending, but you're going to save them from swerving into somebody else."
The Bourlands also said that while the speed limit reduction has been helpful, it is pushing commuters who want to avoid the speed change, like their daughter, to travel through Padre Island or by the Port Aransas Ferry.
Port Aransas Mayor Wendy Moore said she has been working with TxDOT for a while to give feedback and share what she has learned from residents.
"I'm a proponent of expanding the highway to five lanes, including some medians, turn lanes, expanded roadways, lots of safety lighting," she said. "I think those are really important things that we can do to help improve it."
State Rep. Todd Hunter, who is leading the charge for improving SH 361, told the Caller-Times he will be bringing residents' concerns about adding lighting on the highway to the Texas legislative session starting in January.
Felicity Guajardo covers breaking news and public safety. Contact her at felicity.guajardo@caller.com.
This article originally appeared on Corpus Christi Caller Times: Stop lights, median? Residents suggest safety improvements on SH 361
