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GasBuddy News Article

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Texas DOT adds highway shoulders, width to reduce crashes

GasBuddy Blog -- Often it's where the rubber meets the road that makes all the difference. In Texas, highways are safer now thanks to hundreds of projects completed in recent years to add shoulders and width to more than 1,000 miles of rural, two-lane highways.

An analysis of 189 Texas Dept. of Transportation (TxDOT) road projects around the state shows that wider pavements make highways safer and result in fewer crashes.

Texas Transportation Institute analyzed three years of pre- and post-improvement data on more than 1,000 miles of narrow two-lane highways that had been widened. And the results show that on 1,159 miles of recently added highway shoulders, there were 133 fewer fatalities and 895 fewer injuries compared to prior to the...


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Submitted Aug 21, 2012 By: PD
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Author Topic: Texas DOT adds highway shoulders, width to reduce crashes Post a Reply Back to Topics
REPLIES (newest first)
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1COR1533
Champion Author San Jose

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Message Posted: Aug 30, 2012 6:33:37 PM

ok
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retired23
Sophomore Author Oakland

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Message Posted: Aug 27, 2012 6:05:35 PM

Maybe the Federal Interstate system should look into this highway modification for the entire country.
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swfan1963
Rookie Author Chicago

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Message Posted: Aug 26, 2012 10:32:18 AM

I miss living in Texas - except for the wicked heat and humidity in the summer (Houston).
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after10
Veteran Author Hamilton

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Message Posted: Aug 24, 2012 7:37:00 AM

Good, money well spent
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honda0105
Champion Author Tallahassee

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Message Posted: Aug 24, 2012 3:11:31 AM

two lanes esp. in Texas invite speeding. Hopefully it gives a little more room to make errors so there are less deaths.
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67Duetto
Rookie Author Alabama

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Message Posted: Aug 23, 2012 6:28:41 AM

Great for bicycles too!
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spiderjay
Champion Author Little Rock

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Message Posted: Aug 22, 2012 3:26:57 PM

maybe it will but nah
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Stevedog
Champion Author Michigan

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Message Posted: Aug 22, 2012 12:20:36 PM

Extra girth is usually good
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Spetsnaz
Champion Author Dayton

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Message Posted: Aug 22, 2012 11:05:15 AM

This is a good thing, because when you meet someone on those narrow roads, you are close to the ditch.
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Dennisjk
Champion Author Detroit

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Message Posted: Aug 22, 2012 8:46:48 AM

More room to drive 90 down there.
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DarthDadJr
Champion Author Virginia

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Message Posted: Aug 22, 2012 8:06:52 AM

Hopefully this does not take resources away from other projects...
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zaq001
Champion Author Atlanta

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Message Posted: Aug 22, 2012 7:46:38 AM

old news
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MrLuigi
Champion Author Massachusetts

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Message Posted: Aug 22, 2012 7:42:37 AM

ok
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dlemma
Champion Author Wyoming

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Message Posted: Aug 22, 2012 7:41:23 AM

great shoulders
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waterwerks
Veteran Author New Mexico

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Message Posted: Aug 22, 2012 7:39:29 AM

old like my ______.
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LoadToad
Champion Author San Diego

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Message Posted: Aug 22, 2012 7:39:00 AM

I remember driving some of those narrow roads when I was on active duty and based in Texas.
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jerej829
Champion Author Memphis

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Message Posted: Aug 22, 2012 7:37:02 AM

Ok
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lonewolfhead
Champion Author Texas

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Message Posted: Aug 22, 2012 7:36:58 AM

old news
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nanu4u21
Champion Author Orange County

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Message Posted: Aug 22, 2012 7:36:32 AM

ok
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CheckitoutGuy
Champion Author San Diego

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Message Posted: Aug 22, 2012 7:36:26 AM

OK
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ZeroBoxes
Champion Author Mississippi

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Message Posted: Aug 22, 2012 7:36:11 AM

Do Texans still get to pass at speeds on the right?
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BlueVanGroup
Champion Author Colorado

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Message Posted: Aug 22, 2012 7:36:08 AM


Fortunately, Texas hasn't crippled its economy, as has many blue states.
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JagXKR
Champion Author British Columbia

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Message Posted: Aug 22, 2012 7:36:05 AM

Better infrastructure means a better life.
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hvgasboy
Champion Author New York

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Message Posted: Aug 22, 2012 7:36:01 AM

Not surprising. Can you say DUH!
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msgt_usa
Champion Author Virginia

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Message Posted: Aug 22, 2012 7:33:36 AM

this is old news, time to move on
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40mpgsaturn
Champion Author Wisconsin

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Message Posted: Aug 22, 2012 7:31:16 AM

Good!
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Hybrid923
Sophomore Author Ottawa

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Message Posted: Aug 22, 2012 7:30:57 AM

Old news
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Amanstrom
Champion Author Los Angeles

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Message Posted: Aug 22, 2012 7:30:30 AM

Interesting
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uptherefiners
Champion Author Chicago

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Message Posted: Aug 22, 2012 7:28:50 AM

please see yesterday's reply
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BigDenOH
Champion Author Cincinnati

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Message Posted: Aug 22, 2012 7:28:06 AM

Good job
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RAKARWOWSKI
Champion Author Chicago

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Message Posted: Aug 22, 2012 7:27:59 AM

I am moving to Texas.
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Indy1
All-Star Author Quad Cities

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Message Posted: Aug 22, 2012 7:27:55 AM

Submitted Yesterday
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PADI
Champion Author Ontario

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Message Posted: Aug 22, 2012 7:26:50 AM

Should help.
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JimVP
All-Star Author Chicago

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Message Posted: Aug 22, 2012 7:25:37 AM

Should add to safety.
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nskmda
Champion Author Grand Rapids

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Message Posted: Aug 22, 2012 7:25:29 AM

the same old 'news'
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ou812again
Champion Author Cincinnati

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Message Posted: Aug 22, 2012 7:25:25 AM

old news
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donny47
Champion Author New Hampshire

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Message Posted: Aug 22, 2012 7:25:11 AM

yesterdays news!
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HailstormCA
Champion Author San Diego

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Message Posted: Aug 22, 2012 7:25:10 AM

'bout time!
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CDMAuto
Champion Author Connecticut

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Message Posted: Aug 22, 2012 7:24:27 AM

old news
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JENNYHK
Champion Author Chicago

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Message Posted: Aug 22, 2012 7:23:33 AM

ok.
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PathTrack
Champion Author Twin Cities

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Message Posted: Aug 22, 2012 7:23:16 AM

Big state, big roads!
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BackwoodsPundit
Champion Author Richmond

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Message Posted: Aug 22, 2012 7:22:53 AM

Thats not actually that many highway miles when you think about it, so surprised it had that much effect.
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zimowski
Champion Author San Jose

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Message Posted: Aug 22, 2012 7:22:45 AM

Go Texas...
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driveonby1
Champion Author Toledo

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Message Posted: Aug 22, 2012 7:22:12 AM

Yesterday's article. Still good, though.
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dbobguy
Rookie Author Philadelphia

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Message Posted: Aug 22, 2012 7:22:00 AM

I'm sure this has been recognized for years by the highway engineers. It comes down to money, how much to maintain and there is not enough extra realestate to keep the extra space or shoulder on the roads everywhere.
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INBwana
Champion Author Indiana

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Message Posted: Aug 22, 2012 7:21:59 AM


All states should be looking at this.
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Tegger
Champion Author Ontario

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Message Posted: Aug 22, 2012 7:21:54 AM

Hope they add wake-up strips too
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belladog
Champion Author Mobile

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Message Posted: Aug 22, 2012 7:21:50 AM

rerun
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grandmacbc
Champion Author Buffalo

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Message Posted: Aug 22, 2012 7:21:23 AM

For breakdowns a wide shoulder is safer than being half off the road!
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JLSindy
Champion Author Cleveland

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Message Posted: Aug 22, 2012 7:21:16 AM

I agree with much of what everyone says.
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