The Texas Department of Transportation is making changes to a stretch of highway in McLennan County where twelve crashes happened this past week.
According to the Department of Public Safety, five of those crashes on State Highway 6 at SH 164 near Hallsburg involved 18-wheeler trucks.
“What is happening is that they're coming across that bridge and there is a curve and if water builds up because the heavy excess rain, water is going to travel way too fast because of the roadway conditions and when that happens they can lose control,” Trooper D.L. Wilson said.
The Texas Department of Transportation spokesman for the Waco District Ken Roberts said the department is trying to determine the best action to significantly reduce or eliminate the crashes there.
"We recognize there is a situation at that location and we want to warn people as they approach there that they need to reduce their speed and particularly when it's wet,” Waco District TXDOT Spokesman Ken Roberts said.
TXDOT expected to install the signs back in the springbut Roberts said the process took longer than anticipated. On Wednesday, TXDOT added four signs advising drivers to drive 60 miles per hour instead of 70 mph before they approach the bridge.
"We want to warn people as they approach there that they need to reduce their speed and particularly when it's wet,” Roberts said.
When the crashes involving the 18-wheelers occurred on Monday and Tuesday, an electronic message board that advised drivers to slow down in that area. That board was still active at that location on Thursday afternoon.
TXDOT will keep track of whether the signs make a difference into the spring. In the spring, crews will do a pavement overlay in that area but there may be more changes coming to that area.
"As we move forward we are going to continue to look at the area from an engineering standpoint to see if there is anything else that we can physically do, that's can increase the safety to the roadway at that location,” Roberts said.
He said they will also look into whether reducing the speed limit is necessary. A transportation commission would have to approve that change, which may take some time.
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