HAYS COUNTY, Texas — Editor's note: The related video was published in April 2019.
They Hays County Commissioners Court has given their approval for a new study to help improve travel on State Highway 21.
The County hopes the new study will help make it easier and safer to travel along the highway, which connects a handful of fast-growing communities between San Marcos and Bastrop.
It will soon undergo a long-range "corridor preservation study" in an effort led by commissioners and co-sponsors Debbie Gonzales Ingalsbe and Mark Jones.
“This is Hays County living up to a long-term commitment,” said Ingalsbe, whose district stretches along a portion of the highway. "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 growth we know is likely to keep coming."
Jones feels the same way.
"We're one of the state's fastest-growing counties," said the commissioner, whose district also includes a portion of the towns SH 21 runs through. "We're seeing very rapid growth along SH 21 and even more growth planned. In addition to 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."
According to Hays County, the study will focus on a critical section of the highway, a 17-mile stretch between its intersection with SH 80 in San Marcos and the Hays County line near U.S. 183 at the Travis County line, which is close to Niederwald.
Its goal is to bring long-term upgrades to the highway possibly through several phases over the coming decades. Engineers will study traffic and population projections, environment constraints, existing buildings, historic sites, business and school bus patterns, along with other issues, to develop recommendations for future travel lanes as well as intersection, sidewalk and shoulder improvements. The county also plants to preserve the right-of-way along the road that could be needed in the future.
Some in the area, especially school districts and first responders, are hopeful the study will improve safety.
TxDOT data shows at least 37 fatalities occurred on the road within 2016 and 2018. Among those killed was a Lehman High School student in 2016, a San Marcos father and his unborn child, and a volunteer firefighter in 2018.
"Every one of those affects a whole family, a whole community of people," said Ingalsbe.
"It's not just fatalities," added Jones. "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."
Hays Consolidated School District also welcomes the study, as some of its schools are along the SH 21 corridor.
"It's the land that's available and affordable," said Tim Savory, chief communications officer for the district. "Developers are looking there. We expect the growth to be there. We would welcome any improvements on Highway 21."
The county will cooperate with TxDOT and other local governments as they work on the project. It will be funded by bond money approved by Hays County voters in November 2016.
SH 21 is also known as Camino Real because it roughly follows the old Spanish "King's Road."
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