UPDATE: A fatal crash on State Highway 211 near Potranco Road has left one person dead and three others hospitalized, igniting urgent concerns among residents in far west Bexar County about escalating traffic issues due to rapid construction. The incident occurred on Wednesday evening, and local officials from the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office have confirmed the tragic outcome.
Residents are voicing their frustrations, attributing the increasing number of accidents to the ongoing construction boom in their area. “They’re continuing to build, and the roads and the infrastructure, everything is under construction at the same time,” said local resident Carol Penaloza.
Witnesses to the crash, including Keith Eagle, echoed her sentiments, highlighting that new developments are outpacing the necessary infrastructure improvements. “A lot of houses and the roads and the infrastructure is just not really there to support it,” said Eagle. “There’s just so much traffic flowing through here and they keep on trying to build new things.”
Another neighbor, Edward Fuentes, pointed to excessive speed as a contributing factor to the accidents. “The speed is a little bit too high,” Fuentes stated. “Normally, when I’m coming in, I’m coming around 60 miles an hour. I usually have to drop down to like 40 just to allow others to speed up in a good time.”
Residents are calling for immediate action to address these critical safety concerns. Penaloza believes the best solution would be to pause or reduce new construction until the roadways can be improved. “They’ve got to slow down on the building and do the roads maybe first, or do a section at a time and get it done with,” she emphasized.
Eagle added, “It feels like they’ve just forgotten to think about the roadways out here while they’re building everything up.”
As the community grapples with this tragic loss, the incident serves as a stark reminder of the urgent need for improved infrastructure in rapidly developing areas. Local authorities are under pressure to address these concerns to prevent further tragedies.
Residents and officials alike are now watching closely for any response from local government regarding infrastructure investments and traffic safety measures in the wake of this incident. The urgency for change is palpable as the community seeks solutions to a growing crisis.
