HIGHWAY 36 LOOP IMPROVEMENTS?
If you’ve travelled on State Highway 36 north of Brenham recently, you’ve probably noticed that the Texas Department of Transportation is proceeding with its so called “safety” construction project. That’s the one where they plan to replace the Highway 36 overpass with a “T” intersection and traffic light. I don’t know a single person who believes replacing an overpass with a traffic light is a good idea. The only government official who has gone “on record” as being in favor of it is Washington County Judge John Brieden. But TXDOT knows what’s best for all of us, and apparently it’s a traffic light that will stop all north and southbound traffic on Highway 36….and force anyone trying to get to Brenham on the North side of town to make a left turn across traffic.
By the way….I checked to see how many fatal accidents have occurred in that area in the last 6 years. Zero. That’s not to say that there haven’t been wrecks involving people making illegal U-turns there, because here have been. The simple, safer and much less expensive solution of putting more of the reflective barriers down the highway to prevent illegal U-turns…and adding signage directing people the correct way when they leave Hohlt Park…wasn’t on TXDOT’s radar.
While TXDOT never held a public hearing on this so called safety project, as they have done in other towns, they did hold an informal open house meeting to discuss their ideas. For those of you who, like me, thought there would be a follow-up meeting before a decision was made…we were wrong. That’s why I am urging anyone who cares about what TXDOT is planning for the 36 Loop between 290 West (West Main Street) and Business 36 (North Park Street) to attend tonight’s informal open house meeting. TXDOT is hosting the meeting from 5:00 to 7:00 tonight at Brenham Elementary School to display their plans for the 36 loop. You can make comments at the meeting, or by email to doug.marino@txdot.gov.
While it’s too late to stop that traffic light, it’s not too late to let them know what you think about it! Personally, I don’t believe a traffic light will be safer than an overpass.
And that’s the way it looks to this Spectator.
If you notice, they even run over the white plastic tabs in the road…. Put up concrete barriers down past that pink house and that will eliminate most of them crossing also putting painted signs on the road saying no uturns for 1 mile
I STRONGLY Agree. I live real close to the area. Yes, there are many, many accidents there and something needs to be done but not what is in the plans. I’m thankful for this article and would really like to attend the meeting, but will it change anything?
Don’t understand why being the land is aquired, grades are somewhat close to being there TxDot can’t just put down a base & blacktop Frontage roads down under the bridge on lounge road & back up the other side even on the animal clinic side, do the same that way nobody has to u-turn into traffic anal clinic side people & those who live down Karen Ln & along as far south as N Dixie can also go under on that side instead of sitting in traffic waiting to turn or crossing over. I know there have been fatalities along that stretch I’ve worked to many of them
I can’t believe that this is happening, who gives TXDOT the right to just go and build such a thing? There has to be some type of loop that someone has b.s.’d their way through in order for this to happen. I would like to have some stuff done on some family property, but I don’t have the money, “{oh TXDOT will come do it for free”, cool send them. Yeah, that’s about how stupid it sounds to stop traffic on the SH with a red light and turn. Next, they will have to reduce the speed down to 55 or some number, then we may have wrecks at the truck stop just up the hill, because the big trucks won’t be able to stop in time. DUDE!!!!
Hey, how was the driving on US 290 at 577 when the ice came? I think that could have been done different also, how can we heat our home floors but can’t heat the overpass to keep it from freezing, or is there a way to build it better so that it doesn’t freeze? What happens when it’s cold for a week, with ice all week and commerce needs to keep happening, our roads become useless….duh!!!!!
[Quote] Its crazy. People will still make the uturns in this area because 90℅ of them are traveling north on 290 and missed the insane fact that they have to EXIT to go to Austin on 290. They realize here that they are now on 36. Fix the 290 interchange FIRST!!!!! [/Unquote]
This poster is dead bang right. As much road construction as we endure ALL OF THE TIME you’d thing Tx Dot would go play in the highway, instead of rearranging the roads all of the time. Anybody that thinks they’re on 290 when they get to the Cloverleaf SHOULD at least know where they are if the’re traveling east, or west doesn’t matter. Why screw up the roads for the residents because the out of towners can’t follow their GP’esses, or simply can’t read? Tx DOT is bent on screwing everything up for the locals, not to mention emptying our wallets to do this project without our blessing. Tx Dot……”Go Home, and stay there”Don’t call us, we’ll call you.
Signed-
John Q Tax Payer
I feel this will accomplish nothing. U-turns will still be made in this area once folks traveling to Austin from Houston realize THEY HAVE MISSED THEIR EXIT AND ARE NO LONGER ON 290. If TxDot wants to make safety a priority they would work on the interchange at 290 and West Main. So many people don’t realize they have to EXIT to stay on 290!
Its crazy. People will still make the uturns in this area because 90℅ of them are traveling north on 290 and missed the insane fact that they have to EXIT to go to austin on 290. They realize here that they are now on 36. Fix the 290 interchange FIRST!!!!!
Thank you for your informative article! I agree with you.
Instead of going forward, I think TXDOT is going backwards . . . at the taxpayers expense. In a few years, they will probably realize their mistake and spend millions of taxpayers’ dollars to construct an overpass and do away with the traffic light!
I wonder how much research was done regarding this project. A traffic light at that location is not a good idea. Keep the overpass, put up additional barriers and let DPS officers monitor the area.
TXDOT did a great job of eliminating the FM 577/290 traffic light to move traffic thru Washington County only to slow it down on the north side. Not smart at all.
I don’t think it’s too late to halt the construction! Look in the past three weeks the contractor has done very little or not enough to matter. Come on guys show some fiscal responsibility and common since. Make the two projects one and one that will include on and off ramps that will keep the traffic free flowing. Lets quit the patchwork loop system we have and develope a long term plan for a proper loop around Brenham one where we don’t build our schools on and put our children in harms way.
Wish I could be there tonight!