SAN ANTONIO – Mary Johnson said Hildebrand Avenue is less of a road and more of a raceway.
“It’s a huge public safety issue,” Johnson, the vice president of the Monte Vista Neighborhood Association, said. “Traffic has just become unbearable.”
Crashes, speeding and a lack of a line of sight for drivers have been reported for years as a problem at the intersection of Hildebrand Avenue and Howard Street.
However, after a recent study, there might be a solution.
“I was really happy with what Pape-Dawson found,” Johnson said. “We should not have to beg like this for five years to have something done for public safety in this city.”
Pape-Dawson, an engineering firm, studied Hildebrand Avenue between San Pedro Avenue and Thelma Drive. The firm found 349 reported crashes happened in this stretch between 2018 and 2023. A little more than 100 crashes (101) resulted in injury or possible injury.
Pape-Dawson’s report said this corridor crash rate is about four times the statewide average crash rate.
Specifically, for the intersection of Hildebrand and Howard, the firm proposed the following changes:
- “Quick-build” curb extensions at the intersection
- Add flashing yellow left-turn signals
- Add pedestrian crossing on all legs of the intersection
- Add a sidewalk along the north side of the intersection to McCullough Avenue
There’s no timeline for this project. Neighbors like Johnson said this is a necessary next step.
“These are my neighbors, and this is my community,” Johnson said. “We want our neighborhood streets to become safer.”