DRIPPING SPRINGS, Texas -- Last summer Christy Vickrey lost her friend, a Bee Cave elementary teacher, in a head-on collision near Dripping Springs.
A cross still marks the spot. The accident happened along Ranch Road 12. It is a road that Vickrey said went from bad to worse.
“It’s dangerous,” she said. “We actually try to avoid it as much as possible.”
Late last year, TxDOT repaved a seven-mile stretch as part of a routine maintenance plan between Highway 290 and Hamilton Pool Road.
Instead of reusing the so-called "hot seal" surfacing that was there before, TxDOT used a cheaper "chip-seal" surfacing.
Residents soon began complaining about noise, safety, and even the loss of business.
“People are angry,” said Jim Misko, owner of CORE Health Care. “They’re tired, and they need a solution, and hopefully our representatives will get us one.”
On Monday night, Misko was among hundreds who complained directly to TxDOT at a town hall meeting in Dripping Springs. Residents want to see RR 12 restored to the way it was before.
TxDOT officials acknowledged that the road needs work, but they asked for two more weeks before they would respond to the criticism.
TxDOT Spokesman John Hurt said one solution could involve the resurfacing of certain high-traffic intersections.
“There are some intersections that have high-turning movements, where some of the rock had come loose,” Hurt said. “We will come back with a report for what we’ve decided.”
Residents say that may not be enough. Many say they will not rest until the entire seven-mile stretch is replaced.
Residents have begun a petition drive urging TxDOT to fix the road. Already there are more than 500 names on the list.
