SH 130 concession to change signal timing at FM 142; three‑phase plan to start the week of June 2

Representatives of the SH 130 concession company briefed Lockhart City Council on a planned signal‑timing modification at the intersection of State Highway 130 and FM 142 designed to reduce congestion during peak periods.

The proposed change James Lovett and the concession team explained that the signal would move from a four‑phase diamond to a three‑phase diamond timing pattern on or around the week of June 2. Lovett said the revised sequence would run the frontage roads together and allow FM 142 traffic in each direction to run simultaneously while permitting left turns in specific movements.

Background and rationale Staff and the concession company said safety has improved since installation of the signal, but peak‑period delays remained a community complaint. The concession company commissioned an engineering study that modeled alternatives and concluded the three‑phase timing should help throughput. Lovett said the character of the roadway and nearby development (including a 7‑Eleven driveway and a designated truck route) had changed since the earlier 2023 recommendation that discouraged left turns; the new study supported limited left‑turn permissibility.

Traffic controls and enforcement - Right turns into the 7‑Eleven driveway will be permitted (the 7‑Eleven is adding a short right‑turn lane into its driveway, not a lane extending to SH 130). Right turns on red remain permitted. - Concession staff said signs have already been posted to alert drivers of the change and engineers will be on site during initial implementation to observe and adjust timing as needed. - Council members raised concerns about motorists using shoulders to make turns; concession staff said shoulder turns are common but are not a recommended or engineered movement and will continue to be monitored.

Follow up Lovett offered to provide either a written report or a follow‑up presentation based on observations immediately after implementation and suggested he could return in roughly three months to report results. Council asked staff to monitor and to notify the concession if additional adjustments are needed.

Quote "We're hopeful this will help with traffic flow. If there are any issues, we'll have engineers on site," James Lovett said.

Provenance This topic was discussed in the meeting's work session and on the record during staff updates; implementation and monitoring details were provided by SH 130 concession staff.