As the local countywide transportation committee wraps up its work, the committee-identified “worst intersection in town” has proven quite the challenge to mediate.
Boerne Director of Development Services Jeff Carroll presented to the committee during its Tuesday meeting, showing several considered solutions to the traffic problem where Herff and River roads intersect. However, each solution was rendered outdated within 10 to 20 years.
“So, using the growth factor rate, assuming the county, the city and the whole state of Texas continues to grow at a rate of 4 percent per year, if we do nothing or do one of these projects, really, it’s still effectively a (grade of) ‘F.’”
Four solutions were mapped and modeled by city staff and presented to the committee by Carroll, including a full-time right turn lane, adding several turn lanes around the intersection, a dual-lane roundabout and two “jug-handle” routes that would eliminate left-hand turns at the busy intersection.
All of the proposed improvements would be rendered virtually useless within 10 years, according to the presentation from Carroll, as the projects were modeled 10 years out with the presumed growth patterns and showed the projects would result in a “Grade F” in terms of traffic movement. The intersection is currently rated an “F.”
The only solution that wasn’t ostensibly rendered obsolete within a decade was one alternate route that connected Highway 46 to Esser Road above the current intersection, eliminating left turns at the intersection, and keeping the incoming highway traffic onto Herff Road. Essentially, this change would make Herff Road an extension of the state highway rather than River Road.
The connection would be made just northeast of the Longhorn Café across land acquired by the city earlier this year along Esser Road, eliminating the curve around the restaurant and gas station.
While this was the only solution to exceed a grade of “F” after 10 years of growth in the area and which created a flood-plain-free connection for emergency responders, Carroll’s statistics showed it would be flunking the grading system again within 20 years.
However, Carroll also noted traffic patterns could be heavily changed should the Boerne Independent School District build more schools around the county or district as he said the traffic models showed school drop-off and pick-up times were the cause of most traffic at the intersection.
Another “jug handle” route was modeled and considered by city staff which would connect Herff Road just north of Oak Park Drive to River Road west of Herff and Esser roads, but the transportation committee was less receptive to this solution as it would require land acquisition from several landowners.
All of these proposals are intended to find a more immediate solution to the troublesome intersection than the current plan from contracted engineers to raise the River and Herff roads intersection about 9 feet. This project would address many of the committee’s concerns, but a hefty price tag and TxDOT involvement would leave the project years out.
While no final recommendation was moved forward to the committee’s final draft for all the local municipalities to consider, Carroll is expected to come back before the committee with more information at the next committee meeting this month.
TIMELINE
2002 – Jeff Carroll arrives in city, noting a two-lane Herff Road with curved intersections from Old San Antonio and River Road.
2005 – Boerne purchases land and reroutes Esser Road to make a cleaner four-way intersection at Herff and River roads.
2013 – County expands Herff Road from two lanes to four.
2015 – Memorial Day flood leaves the intersection at Herff and River several feet under water, creating a clear need for an emergency route across town outside of the floodplain.
2021 – TxDOT puts in a right turn lane for northbound Herff Road traffic to turn right onto River Road, or Highway 46, which is showing improvement at the intersection.
2022 – Recent traffic counts show northbound traffic from Herff Road turning right onto River Road is the most prominent use of the intersection with 772 vehicles making the maneuver at the city’s peak morning hour.
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