Safer Roads & Evacuations
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We have a long-standing commitment to ensure that roadways are designed and maintained for safety, and we are continuously looking at new innovations and policies to enhance safety. Each year, we commission research to develop new technology and improved structures and pavements to enhance the safety of Texas roads, bridges and tunnels.
TxDOT has implemented a combination of safety initiatives encompassing education, enforcement, and infrastructure investment. For example, policies aimed at segregating large trucks from general traffic have been very successful in areas such as Houston.
Other safety initiatives include:
- Cable barrier installations
- Rumble strips
- Wider travel lanes and shoulders
- Divided highways
- Dedicated left-turn lanes
- Teen driver awareness program
- Clearer highway signs
- Keeping up with maintenance
Safety Bond Program
In 2003, voters overwhelmingly approved Proposition 14, a constitutional amendment making possible the bonding authority contained in HB 3588. Thanks to the Legislature, TxDOT gained the authority to enter the bond market to finance projects, including safety projects.
The department continued work in 2006 on TxDOT's single most aggressive program to improve the safety of the traveling public in Texas. Some 644 safety projects, valued at $600 million, and identified as priorities across the state are well underway. They will widen 1,600 miles of narrow, two-lane roads, install 740 miles of median barriers on divided highways, add left turn lanes at 171 highway intersections, and build 10 new overpasses. When completed, the projects will save an estimated 1,800 lives and prevent 21,000 injuries during the next 20 years.
In safety, as in other transportation challenges, we lead the nation in developing solutions that work. We know that continued research into new safety technologies and cooperation with our partners will be required to ensure the safety of Texas' drivers in our ever-growing transportation network. Our pledge is to do whatever is reasonably possible to keep users of our transportation system safe.
Emergencies: A Matter of When, Not If
More often than not, emergencies happen without warning. It’s not a matter of if, but when an emergency will happen. The threat of emergencies such as hurricanes, wild fires, and flash floods underscores how crucial our highways are to our state’s emergency evacuation system. When the safety of Texans is threatened, TxDOT and other emergency responders work around the clock to ensure a safe and efficient evacuation.
During Hurricane Ike, an estimated 100,000 homes were evacuated, pushing hundreds of people onto coastal highways in search of safety. Learning valuable lessons from Hurricane Katrina, the evacuation process had been refined by TxDOT working with state and Federal emergency planners to make the evacuation process smoother, and safer for these evacuees.
All Texans are encouraged to learn about the evacuation safety guidelines and know emergency numbers for the areas in which they live. The links below will help you get started, and please note that these links will take you away from the Keep Texas Moving Web site.
Evacuation Maps
Statewide Evacuation MapsHurricane Evacuation Guides
Searchable Road Conditions
Road ConditionsContraflow Guides
General Emergency Preparedness
Preparing to EvacuateDealing with Other Emergencies
Preparing for a Storm
Preparing for the Unexpected
Are You Ready?
