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Seguin staff urges direction on Huber Road railroad crossing after safety review; council asks for public outreach
Summary
City staff laid out safety data showing a steep crossing and high vehicle counts at Huber Road, presented three mitigation options (mountable median, concrete barrier, or closure) and said TxDOT has a warranted signal but no funding; council supported public outreach before choosing a design direction.
Seguin city staff recommended the council give design direction — not a final decision — for safety improvements at the Huber Road railroad crossing after a multi‑agency feasibility review.
The presentation by Melissa, a city transportation engineer, cited a 2022 feasibility study and updated on a design contract. Melissa said the crossing exceeds national and rail standards for vertical grade — "we have 10 inches of fall" where the standards call for no more than 3 inches in 30 feet — and that the grade contributed to a collision last year when a trailer high‑centered on the tracks.
Why it matters: staff said nearly 4,000 vehicles a day now use the Huber crossing and trains run about 25 times daily. The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) risk model showed the crossing would be unacceptable for a quiet zone without physical mitigations. Melissa summarized three options and their estimated risk reductions: mountable medians (about a 60% reduction), non‑transversable concrete curbs (about a 70% reduction), or full closure (eliminates crossing risk).
Cost and agency roles: Melissa told council a traffic signal at State Highway 78 has been found to be warranted by TxDOT but is not funded. She also said a signal would likely cost "upwards of a hundred thousand dollars" and that any plans would require review by TxDOT, the FRA and Union Pacific. Staff noted TxDOT incentive programs could provide up to roughly $100,000 if the city removes the crossing and thereby reduces Union Pacific's liability.
Council reaction and next steps: council members pressed staff on timing tied to I‑10/46 construction and on neighborhood impacts. Several members urged broad community engagement; one asked for outreach to the Hidalgo Street neighborhood and downtown stakeholders including Teatro de Artes, and staff offered to run an online poll and present at HOA meetings. No closure or formal resolution was moved — council directed staff to prepare design options and to begin community engagement so a more concrete recommendation can return to a future meeting.
The council’s discussion made the tradeoffs clear: physical mitigations reduce horn noise but can be costly and complicated because of the vertical‑grade issue; closure would remove risk entirely but reroute local traffic. Staff will come back with refined designs, cost estimates and additional outreach results.
