Troubling North Side intersection could get traffic light soon, San Antonio city councilman says

SAN ANTONIO – Help could be just down the road for people who live and work near a troubling North Side intersection.

According to data from the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), there were 35 reported crashes at the intersection of Lookout and Toepperwein roads in 2025.

So far this year, there have been only a few.

However, people familiar with the area said it’s just a matter of time until there are many more.

“You can sit here, and it’s very entertaining sometimes, but then, it’s really scary,” said Robert Cavazos, who lives near the intersection.

Cavazos said it is not uncommon to see police cars and ambulances in the area on a regular basis tending to people injured in crashes.

“They’ve had some really bad accidents on this corner,” Cavazos said. “Really, really serious accidents.”

Andrew Acosta has seen the trouble too, while fixing cars just down the street at Arrow Glen Auto Body.

“T-bones more than anything,” Acosta said. “Most times, there’s no stop signs. People just ignore them.”

Acosta said just getting to work safely can be a challenge due to drivers who don’t follow the rules of the road.

TxDOT data indicated most of the crashes were caused by drivers running stop signs or not paying attention behind the wheel.

“You’ve just got to be very cautious,” Acosta said. “People don’t realize how fast crashes happen every day.”

District 10 Councilman Marc Whyte said he is aware of the dangers at the intersection.

Whyte said the streets themselves are at the intersection of his district and the City of Live Oak. Parts of the area also belong to Union Pacific Railroad and fall under the jurisdiction of TxDOT.

“Our office has been working on this now for probably a year and a half or so,” Whyte said. “The tricky part is, of course, there are multiple jurisdictions involved.”

Getting all of those entities on the same page, “engineers that need to look at it, funding that needs to be appropriated,”

Whyte said getting those entities on the same page — “engineers that need to look at it, funding that needs to be appropriated” — has been its own job in and of itself.

The councilman said help is on the horizon.

“I think we’re finally at the point where some construction will get started before the end of the year,” Whyte said.

The City of Live Oak issued a written statement on the subject, saying in part, that TxDOT has been leading the way on the project.

“We understand the residents’ concerns about safety at the intersection of Lookout Road and Toepperwein Road and have been working with regional partners to advance installation of a traffic signal,” the statement said.

Both Cavazos and Acosta said they have heard promises about the intersection before and are taking a wait-and-see approach to the news.

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