The Deathtrap That Is 290 West

[Bullneck 19,185]

3 hours ago, Texas_Rocks said:

 

Check this out. When planning out the construction the developers of Ocotillo apartments approached that Exxon with some sort of deal that would have allowed the apartments to share the existing Exxon driveway as a result of the entry/exit already being controlled by a traffic light. The store owners declined. Sounded like a cluster fuck of an idea in general.

 

Usually the City rams a Cross Access Agreement down your throat.

[futureman 22,510]

7 hours ago, clapclapclap said:

https://www.statesman.com/news/20190418/man-killed-after-struck-by-driver-who-ignored-traffic-sign-on-us-290-police-say

Police said the driver of the SUV stayed at the scene and was cited for disregarding a posted sign, a Class C misdemeanor. They said intoxication did not play a role in the crash.

 

So the POS driving the SUV ignores the no left turn sign, turns left with traffic coming, knocks another car into a truck, killing that driver and sending the truck driver to the hospital.  Why wasn't this selfish moron arrested and charged with manslaughter?

 

6 hours ago, phdhorn said:

I think he's in deep shit... give it a few days... they'll Gabby Nestande his ass, only 10X worse.  He'll probably get criminal negligent manslaughter.  I'm only a Holiday Inn lawyer, but this seems to be in the textbook for that charge.  Ignoring the sign is the Class C misdemeanor.  Reckless disregard is a whole 'nother ball game.

I hope and believe he's shitting his pants right now.  

 

1 hour ago, XYZ said:

Because I had nothing better to do, I just went to the scene of the crash to figure it out. On the north side of the intersection of 290 and 1826 there's an apartment complex named Ocotillo. It has two access roads. One is about 100 years west of the 290/1826 and it's a private driveway. There's a sign that says "no left turn". There are no traffic lights there. The second access road is Hudson Loop, which is another 100 yards west of the private driveway, and there is a traffic light there. So pickup truck uses the private driveway, tries to turn left, hits a mustang that's going west, pushes it to the eastbound lanes, where a truck hits the mustang. There was no excuse for the pickup truck not to use Hudson Loop to turn left onto 290. They better charge the driver with manslaughter.

just chiming in to put my support behind the wheels of justice fucking that son of a bitch hardcore.  but I’m not holding my breath. 

[Girdwood 118]

11 hours ago, Bullneck said:

Thanks for your helpful insights.

Anytime.

[po elvis 2,076]

18 minutes ago, futureman said:

 

 

just chiming in to put my support behind the wheels of justice fucking that son of a bitch hardcore.  but I’m not holding my breath. 

I find knowingly doing things like that in a vehicle while sober to be as bad as driving drunk and killing somebody.

put up a sign next to no left turn sign "$1000 fine" and stick a cop there for a few weeks.

autonomous car society can not get here quick enough.

Edited April 19, 2019 by po elvis

[Deej 76,858]

27 minutes ago, futureman said:

 

 

just chiming in to put my support behind the wheels of justice fucking that son of a bitch hardcore.  but I’m not holding my breath. 

He should just claim he thought the car he hit was a deer. Worked for Nestande.

Edited April 19, 2019 by Deej

[jimmyjazz 46,000]

20 hours ago, futureman said:

I thought aggy engineering was #1 in the country?

Just ask them.

[cactusflinthead 27,601]

Shiny metal boxes in a suicidal race. Dollar says they were running late and didn't want to wait at the light.

Put a gate at the entrance and close it permanently. 

[Beau Vine 54,319]

On 4/18/2019 at 3:37 PM, Spaulding Smails said:

I drive this stretch almost every damn day, but when given the option, I'll go home through Buda instead.  I encourage my wife to stay in Dripping as much as possible and I'm dreading the day my kids are old enough to drive primarily because of 290.  Lost a friend on that stretch in 2017 and our community had a 7 year old boy end up in a wheelchair thanks to an accident on 290 just a few months ago. 

I was driving it every day for a couple of years when I was working at UT.  Back when there weren't turn lanes.  One night I mentioned something about that afternoon's daily wreck to my neighbor who also commutes to Austin.  He said, "You dumbass, avoid that road, take Elder Hill Road to 1826 to Mopac and you'll live a lot longer."  

[futureman 22,510]

27 minutes ago, Beau Vine said:

I was driving it every day for a couple of years when I was working at UT.  Back when there weren't turn lanes.  One night I mentioned something about that afternoon's daily wreck to my neighbor who also commutes to Austin.  He said, "You dumbass, avoid that road, take Elder Hill Road to 1826 to Mopac and you'll live a lot longer."  

used to go to wimberley fairly often on 290W to rr12.  after a couple times I figured out elder hill road and that was the end of my 290 experience.  

[Deej 76,858]

Buddy was driving it a few years ago when someone tried to take a left into oncoming traffic. The engine block from one of the vehicles broke free during the collision and came bouncing down the highway and landed on the hood of his car. He walked away from it, even rendering aid to those in the accident, but has PTSD if you even mention 290. They need to just lower the speed limit to 45. Too many dumbasses.

[HOOKEM4 5,039]

Another one this morning. From co-worker reports, it is very bad. Would be amazed if it wasn't a multiple fatality crash.

[Wally Pryor 5,261]

A man was killed in a morning rollover crash in southwestern Travis County on U.S. 290 near Fitzhugh Road, Austin-Travis County EMS medics said.

Medics pulled out two people who were trapped in the wreckage.

Three people were taken to St. David’s South Austin Medical Center, including one with critical injuries and two with serious injuries that were not expected to be life-threatening, medics said. A fifth person refused treatment, EMS said.

The westbound and eastbound lanes of the highway are closed at Fitzhugh Road, Travis County sheriff’s officials said.

[Beau Vine 54,319]

17 minutes ago, Wally Pryor said:

The westbound and eastbound lanes of the highway are closed at Fitzhugh Road, Travis County sheriff’s officials said.

So are the northbound and southbound lanes still open?

[phdhorn 6,224]

1 minute ago, Beau Vine said:

So are the northbound and southbound lanes still open?

Reminds me of a Bob Newhart joke I saw (in concert) years ago:  Bob voicing pilot and co-pilot:

"Okay, there's the runway, go go GO!!!"
"I think I've got it.. yes, Flaps DOWN, PUSH, GO!!"
<pulling hard on the wheel, with all their might, grimacing and grunting until they're exhausted>:
"Whew!  We did it"  That was a hell of a tricky landing!"
"Yep.  This has got to be the shortest runway I've ever had to land on!"
<other pilot looks left then right>
"Yup.  But definitely the widest.  Must be two miles side to side."

[Wally Pryor 5,261]

Grainy still from KXAN site.  

No bueno.

 

[jimmyjazz 46,000]

I think 290 lapped 2222 as the worst stretch of road in Austin about 10 years ago.  It's astounding how many avoidable wrecks occur.

[XYZ 2,154]

That road is not inherently dangerous. It’s the stupid shit people do. There would be zero collisions on that stretch of road if people paid attention and acted judiciously. Yes, I know, that’s unpossible.

[Judge Roybeanbag 11,819]

35 minutes ago, Wally Pryor said:

Grainy still from KXAN site.  

No bueno.

 

That spot is just west of Fitzhugh.  Only things there on the right are a Brazilian Jujitsu place and Joe the Mechanic's shop.  I guess someone was either turning in or out across traffic.  Ugh.

[Wally Pryor 5,261]

Grainy #2.   Trying to discern what is going on at the middle / left with the first responders.

 

[Samson's Wig 3,194]

Too many transplants, especially in that area.  No excuse for someone raised in Texas to not be a highway driving pro.

[Texas Jeff 1,945]

On 4/19/2019 at 5:38 PM, Deej said:

He should just claim he thought the car he hit was a deer. Worked for Nestande.

Nestande also claimed that she was distracted because she was checking her phone to make sure here alarm was set ... while driving a car.  So that works too.

[Nueces River Rat 5,539]

So what's the timeframe  for the noted improvements earlier in this thread.

Just asking because I want to know before I rush to that part of the area and start scoping land for a future home.   

[Pasken 1,309]

28 minutes ago, Nueces River Rat said:

So what's the timeframe  for the noted improvements earlier in this thread.

Just asking because I want to know before I rush to that part of the area and start scoping land for a future home.   

Scheduled to start in the next 3 years. No exact date for the contract to go out but it's funded which is always the key. It's possible that it'll only go to just west of 1836 though so it wouldn't include the separation and reconstruction of those other intersections. It's possible that could change when they do the new construction plan this summer especially given these accidents. 

[XYZ 2,154]

23 hours ago, XYZ said:

That road is not inherently dangerous.

I’d like to amend that statement. That road is mostly not inherently dangerous, however some yellow lights seem to be too fucking short.

[Judge Roybeanbag 11,819]

5 hours ago, XYZ said:

I’d like to amend that statement. That road is mostly not inherently dangerous, however some yellow lights seem to be too fucking short.

They need to time in a 3 or 4 second delay where both lights  are red, before one turns green.  

Edited May 2, 2019 by Judge Roybeanbag

[Hate 20,128]

They need to time in a 3 or 4 second delay where both lights  are red, before one turns green.  

This would help in Houston as well. I always looks both ways and go slowly when crossing any intersection, but especially here in the Houston area.

[Cajun 11,722]

On 4/19/2019 at 3:34 PM, XYZ said:

Because I had nothing better to do, I just went to the scene of the crash to figure it out. On the north side of the intersection of 290 and 1826 there's an apartment complex named Ocotillo. It has two access roads. One is about 100 years west of the 290/1826 and it's a private driveway. There's a sign that says "no left turn". There are no traffic lights there. The second access road is Hudson Loop, which is another 100 yards west of the private driveway, and there is a traffic light there. So pickup truck uses the private driveway, tries to turn left, hits a mustang that's going west, pushes it to the eastbound lanes, where a truck hits the mustang. There was no excuse for the pickup truck not to use Hudson Loop to turn left onto 290. They better charge the driver with manslaughter.

Just catching up on this thread.

Guess where I live.

You must be a neighbor.

[Cajun 11,722]

Living in Ocotillo, it sucks getting out of here if you wanna head toward anywhere but Dripping.

There are a couple of "private drives" that are really just the 300 yard entrance roadways into Ocotillo and the sister apartment complex next door.  You're only supposed to turn right out of those drives onto 290, which means you're eight going to Dripping or heading up a mile or so only to make a UTurn and come back when the traffic thins out.  

Now, you can take a right on a small "back" private drive running parallel up to Hudson Loop and then swing out toward 290 where you'll have a protected turn left after growing a beard waiting for it to go green.

It's a clusterfuck of a design, as is just about all of the stretch of 290 from BelTerra to a mile or so past the Y.

LOTS of people do what this guy did, they just don't do it the way he did it, into oncoming traffic.

I'd say those Right Turn Only signs are ignored well over 50% of the time.

Like someone else above said, poor design begets poor decisions and behavior.

[Judge Roybeanbag 11,819]

20 minutes ago, Cajun said:

Living in Ocotillo, it sucks getting out of here if you wanna head toward anywhere but Dripping.

There are a couple of "private drives" that are really just the 300 yard entrance roadways into Ocotillo and the sister apartment complex next door.  You're only supposed to turn right out of those drives onto 290, which means you're eight going to Dripping or heading up a mile or so only to make a UTurn and come back when the traffic thins out.  

Now, you can take a right on a small "back" private drive running parallel up to Hudson Loop and then swing out toward 290 where you'll have a protected turn left after growing a beard waiting for it to go green.

It's a clusterfuck of a design, as is just about all of the stretch of 290 from BelTerra to a mile or so past the Y.

LOTS of people do what this guy did, they just don't do it the way he did it, into oncoming traffic.

I'd say those Right Turn Only signs are ignored well over 50% of the time.

Like someone else above said, poor design begets poor decisions and behavior.

You can go down to Scenic Brook and cut over to 71.  A little out of the way but...

[Cajun 11,722]

10 minutes ago, Judge Roybeanbag said:

You can go down to Scenic Brook and cut over to 71.  A little out of the way but...

Do it all the time.  Too many people staring to catch on.

Big fan of Scenic Brook to Silvermine over to 71 too

[futureman 22,510]

On 4/30/2019 at 2:20 PM, XYZ said:

That road is not inherently dangerous. It’s the stupid shit people do. There would be zero collisions on that stretch of road if people paid attention and acted judiciously. Yes, I know, that’s unpossible.

[Eskimohorn 5,642]

Always leaves my mind bottled when people blame a roadway for accidents/deaths.

Well, your mind will completely blown when you realize there are people that design roads to be safer, study why some roads have more accidents and fatalities than others, design vehicles to be safer, and study the forensics of vehicular crashes.

People get on forums like this to discuss dangerous roads. Guess all of these types of threads should blame the olds, millennials, ladies, or asians for crashes and close the thread.

[Wally Pryor 5,261]

 

AUSTIN (KXAN) -— 19-year-old Carlos Moncada Cruz died from a wreck that took place near the intersection of U.S. 290 and Farm-to-Market Road 1826 on the morning of Thursday, April 18, according to Austin police.

Austin police say the crash occurred when an SUV was exiting a private drive on US 290. The driver allegedly ignored a posted sign that said "right turn only," and turned left into traffic.

A silver car, driven by Cruz, collided with the SUV and was sent into the eastbound lanes of US 290 where it was struck a second time by a truck.

Cruz was pronounced dead at the scene, and the driver of the truck was taken to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

The driver of the SUV was issued a citation for ignoring a posted sign.

 

Yeah, that will teach him.

Edited May 14, 2019 by Wally Pryor

[Armybrat 40,857]

There are a lot of motherfuckers out there who really think they are above rules & regulations, and traffic signs not not apply to their entitled asses. That SUV POS driver should have been arrested and charged with manslaughter.

[Lat22 4,015]

24 minutes ago, Armybrat said:

There are a lot of motherfuckers out there who really think they are above rules & regulations, and traffic signs not not apply to their entitled asses. That SUV POS driver should have been arrested and charged with manslaughter.

Yep.  In Houston, I'd say at least 50% of those types of drivers have "temporary" paper license plates on their hoopty.

[High Plains Drifter 11,050]

On 5/1/2019 at 7:41 PM, Judge Roybeanbag said:

They need to time in a 3 or 4 second delay where both lights  are red, before one turns green.  

i have to disagree here. 3 or 4 seconds with both lights red will only encourage running red lights, because hey, still 3 or 4 seconds before the other light turns green!

[High Plains Drifter 11,050]

On 5/1/2019 at 9:20 PM, Cajun said:

Living in Ocotillo, it sucks getting out of here if you wanna head toward anywhere but Dripping.

There are a couple of "private drives" that are really just the 300 yard entrance roadways into Ocotillo and the sister apartment complex next door.  You're only supposed to turn right out of those drives onto 290, which means you're eight going to Dripping or heading up a mile or so only to make a UTurn and come back when the traffic thins out.  

Now, you can take a right on a small "back" private drive running parallel up to Hudson Loop and then swing out toward 290 where you'll have a protected turn left after growing a beard waiting for it to go green.

It's a clusterfuck of a design, as is just about all of the stretch of 290 from BelTerra to a mile or so past the Y.

LOTS of people do what this guy did, they just don't do it the way he did it, into oncoming traffic.

I'd say those Right Turn Only signs are ignored well over 50% of the time.

Like someone else above said, poor design begets poor decisions and behavior.

 

I don't live in Austin anymore, but when I visit 3 or 4 times a year, I drive in on 290. Seems like every single time I see people turning left out of a private drive across all the lanes of traffic. Very dangerous. I drive that stretch with extreme caution.

 

The solution it seems to me is to simply not have any private drives exiting out onto 290. (At the very least, have them angle into 290 so that turning left is impossible.) The only roads crossing 290 should have lights. Yes, this will result in beard-growing waits to turn onto 290, but I think that is the price that will have to be paid.

[Deej 76,858]

43 minutes ago, High Plains Drifter said:

(At the very least, have them angle into 290 so that turning left is impossible.) 

That wouldn't stop some people. 

[Texas_Rocks 346]

There are a lot of motherfuckers out there who really think they are above rules & regulations, and traffic signs not not apply to their entitled asses. That SUV POS driver should have been arrested and charged with manslaughter.

Was a passenger in a “motherfucker’s” car several years ago when he pulled out in front of a car traveling south on MANSHACK(motherfuckers!). The other driver pounds on his horn and I’m like WTF. Motherfucker just says “He’s got breaks!”.

I can’t even remember who that motherfucker was, but he’s probably dead by now. I just hope he didn’t take out someone else too.

And yeah, there are a shit ton of motherfuckers out there that drive with the attitude that they can do whatever the fuck they want to do and everyone else will just have to deal with it.

[Lerka Lerka 1,087]

Was this by chance during Spring Brake? 

[irishtexan 11,522]

1 hour ago, High Plains Drifter said:

The solution it seems to me is to simply not have any private drives exiting out onto 290. (At the very least, have them angle into 290 so that turning left is impossible.) The only roads crossing 290 should have lights. Yes, this will result in beard-growing waits to turn onto 290, but I think that is the price that will have to be paid.

See, this is where shitty road design comes into play. If there's a physical barrier between both directions with designated left turn lanes then morons don't have the option of doing moronic things. It's not EITHER bad design OR stupid people. It's BOTH that results in 290 being a death trap.

[otisdog 365]

28 minutes ago, Texas_Rocks said:

And yeah, there are a shit ton of motherfuckers out there that drive with the attitude that they can do whatever the fuck they want to do and everyone else will just have to deal with it.

 

  Was returning from my grandfathers funeral with my aunt and her road buddy Alma in aunties 429 T-Bird south on 395 back when it was a 2 lane. Laying down in the rear seat, half asleep, when aunt Dorothy  punches the big block and swings out to pass....       

Alma  - "Dorothy, you do see that oncoming car, don't you?"

Aunt Dorothy - "Yes, I do....but it's easier for them to pull off of the road then for me to get back in my lane with all those cars there."

Don't recall sleeping for the rest of the trip.

[Lerka Lerka 1,087]

TxDoT is stocked full with Aggy so you have the traffic trifecta in play here - stupid people making bad designs driven by stupid people.

[Shaggy3.0 1,695]

  Was returning from my grandfathers funeral with my aunt and her road buddy Alma in aunties 429 T-Bird south on 395 back when it was a 2 lane. Laying down in the rear seat, half asleep, when aunt Dorothy  punches the big block and swings out to pass....       
Alma  - "Dorothy, you do see that oncoming car, don't you?"
Aunt Dorothy - "Yes, I do....but it's easier for them to pull off of the road then for me to get back in my lane with all those cars there."
Don't recall sleeping for the rest of the trip.

That’s funny—i don’t see any pics of aunt dorothy. We have rules.

[Pasken 1,309]

53 minutes ago, irishtexan said:

See, this is where shitty road design comes into play. If there's a physical barrier between both directions with designated left turn lanes then morons don't have the option of doing moronic things. It's not EITHER bad design OR stupid people. It's BOTH that results in 290 being a death trap.

 

I'm not an expert but I think physical barriers create issues with water drainage. I know TxDot is working on short term improvements that they can fund but I don't think they've announced anything.

[irishtexan 11,522]

16 minutes ago, Pasken said:

 

I'm not an expert but I think physical barriers create issues with water drainage. I know TxDot is working on short term improvements that they can fund but I don't think they've announced anything.

You could put up those plastic flapper things separating the toll lanes from the free lanes on MoPac and it would work and wouldn't impact water drainage at all. 

[Pasken 1,309]

1 hour ago, irishtexan said:

You could put up those plastic flapper things separating the toll lanes from the free lanes on MoPac and it would work and wouldn't impact water drainage at all. 

It would unless they were floating above the ground. 

[clapclapclap 9,000]

3 hours ago, Shaggy3.0 said:

That’s funny—i don’t see any pics of aunt dorothy. We have rules.

Looks like a friend of Aunt Dorothy tried to get you pics:

https://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2019/05/14/car-wash-upskirt-photos-suspect-nathan-haley-irvine/

Mini Cooper-Driving Man Accused Of Taking Upskirt Photos Of Car Wash Customer

Spoiler

Sbb?

 

Edited May 14, 2019 by clapclapclap

[Godzillatron 292]

You could put up those plastic flapper things separating the toll lanes from the free lanes on MoPac and it would work and wouldn't impact water drainage at all. 

TXDOT did that on RM 2222 near the top of Tumbleweed Hill and approaching FM 620 - works well for 95% of folks. They aren’t going to stop an F-250 that wants to turn left, otherwise work pretty well to enforce safe(er) behavior from impatient idiots.

[Pasken 1,309]

2 hours ago, Godzillatron said:

TXDOT did that on RM 2222 near the top of Tumbleweed Hill and approaching FM 620 - works well for 95% of folks. They aren’t going to stop an F-250 that wants to turn left, otherwise work pretty well to enforce safe(er) behavior from impatient idiots.

It all depends on the grading of the segment of roadway. If the middle of the road is the highest point and it slopes downward to the shoulders then it's fine to put in the median barriers but if the entire road is slopped in 1 direction then it's not going to work without installing underground drainage and that would require rebuilding the entire road which is the long term goal.