SH 130 operator says signal activation reduced crashes at SH 142; peak‑period queues remain

Representatives of SH 130 Concession Company told the Lockhart City Council on Jan. 7 that switching the intersection at State Highway 142 and SH 130 from flashing operation to normal signal timing in August 2023 coincided with fewer crashes, but commuters still see longer waits during peak periods.

James Lovett, vice president for public affairs at SH 130 Concession Company, said the signal was activated after a 2022 warrant analysis and after coordination with TxDOT and local stakeholders. “In the 18 months before activation in 2023 in August, there were 15 crashes ... and weve had 4 in the 17 months after,” Lovett said, describing what he characterized as a “significant reduction in crashes.” He also noted the signal plan includes a maximum green of 65 seconds for the east‑west SH 142 movement and that a traffic management center monitors conditions 24 hours a day.

Nut graf: The company framed the change as a safety measure that has reduced collisions while acknowledging continued commuter frustration. SH 130 staff and Lockhart public works said the queue lengths and delays are predictable in commuting peaks; they said short, targeted changes to signal timing and interagency coordination can help, but larger fixes will require lane reconfiguration and TxDOT participation.

SH 130 and its traffic engineers described the performance and limits of the current timing plan. “The crashes are the biggest thing I care about, and I think we as a company care about,” Lovett said. Jason Kirby, a traffic engineer with SH 130 who has worked in Central Texas for years, said safety remains the priority: “Safety is our number 1 priority,” he said, and added that incremental green‑time increases to the SH 142 through movements have reached “a point of really diminishing to no return.”

SH 130 staff said most peak queues clear in one to three cycles and estimated typical peak‑period waits range from under 10 minutes for most drivers to longer waits during isolated incidents or when heavy trucks slow acceleration. Lovett and Kirby recommended people report real‑time problems to their operations staff so technicians can investigate, and they urged better coordination with TxDOT and local law enforcement during major network incidents that push traffic onto SH 130.

Panelists said possible next steps include: continued timing tweaks where safe and feasible; short‑term lane‑configuration changes using existing pavement if practicable; and longer‑term capacity projects on SH 142 that would require TxDOT design and funding. Kirby described storage limits for left turns at the intersection and said adding through lanes or more left‑turn storage would give the biggest operational gains but also carry higher cost and longer timelines.

Council members pressed for near‑term actions and asked whether local police can operate signals during incidents; SH 130 staff said technicians have manually operated signals during major events and that better advance notification of incidents would allow quicker on‑site response. Lovett invited residents to contact his office with complaints so SH 130 can evaluate them in real time.

Ending: SH 130 staff said they will continue monitoring the intersection and return with updates. Council members and staff said they expect SH 130, TxDOT and city staff to keep communicating as growth and new developments increase traffic volumes.