It might be hard to believe but the clickity-clacking of horses and buggies of the Old West once was a commonplace sound in Blanco County. It might seem more like the Wild West these days, with vehicles zooming around in all directions, but a traffic study that is starting this month could help local and state officials reckon with the harsh reality of the modern-day roadway.
“Rural counties such as Blanco face unique roadway challenges: Higher travel speeds and limited infrastructure may amplify the severity of crashes while longer emergency response times may delay critical treatment for crash victims,” according to Charles Simon, regional planning and services director for the Capital Area Council of Governments (CAPCOG), in a news release on Aug. 25. “Blanco County has recorded the highest crash severity per capita among the 10 counties in the CAPCOG region over the past six years.”
He said that 128 crashes with injuries occurred in Blanco County last year, which amounts to 1,081 crashes per 100,000, residents.
