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Dangerous road: Possible expansion coming to Ralph Fair Road

There's a dangerous stretch of road in Leon Springs, but TxDOT and firefighters say that drivers bear some of the blame.

LEON SPRINGS — A dangerous road in Leon Springs may be expanding to help increase safety.

This past week, emergency responders said that they've responded to 10 car crashes. Some of the worst ones include a head-on collision past Fair Oaks Parkway and a three-car rollover on I-10 and Ralph Fair Road.

Drivers expressed on the Leon Springs Fire Department Facebook page that Ralph Fair Road has been a dangerous road for awhile. It's two-way traffic with one lane on each side and no barriers.

Hank Perez wrote: "Ralph fair needs to be 2 lanes, I had a little white car pass me in the rain the other day, and I was going 50! People PLEASE SLOW DOWN, its not worth your life or someone else's life. And Please STOP Texting!!"

TxDOT spokesman Hernan Rozemberg said that they're in the early planning stages but they are looking to possibly expand 12 miles from Ralph Fair road to State Highway 46. He says that it's too early to share what changes are ahead but the expansion could provide more room for drivers. Emergency responders say that while this construction could help, drivers need to change their driving habits, especially when the roads are wet.

"We think the biggest problem is excessive speed and people not paying attention, and, of course, there's a lot of construction and a lot of times people are trying to find their way through the construction," said Lt. Steve Biediger with the Leon Springs Fire Department. "Weather alone doesn't cause accidents, it's people driving too fast for the weather conditions or the road conditions."

Brailee Encino, who works in Leon Springs, said that she's witnessed crashes on Ralph Fair Road and urges other drivers to be wary of other people.

"Check your surroundings, especially with motorcycles because there's all these access roads to get off of and people need to be more cautious," Encino said. "People drive really, really fast."

TxDOT says that at the earliest, construction would begin in 2023. Rozemberg said that there is partial funding for the project. So far, there is $40 million allocated for it.

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