Acknowledging that ‘it’s very dangerous out there,’ Gonzales County officials are committed to do ‘whatever it takes to save lives’ at Belmont intersection

The intersection of state Highway 80 and FM 466 has been the site of numerous accidents over the years, some with deadly consequences.

The most recent tragedy occurred June 3, when a Seguin man lost his life because law enforcement investigators say he failed to acknowledge the intersection’s stop sign.

But when stop signs for east- and westbound traffic on FM 466 fail to ensure the safety of the intersection, Gonzales County officials start looking for answers.

Gonzales County commissioners, as well as members of the Belmont Volunteer Fire Department – who are usually the first to arrive at the scene of accidents at the intersection – and Justice of the Peace Deidra Voigt – who may be called to the scene, as she was recently, to pronounce crash victims dead – believe a blinking light may be the solution to the problem.

Currently, the two stop signs are in place to control traffic on FM 466. Those traveling on Highway 80 are not required to stop at the intersection.

Commissioners decided at their Monday meeting to take steps necessary to get a blinking light at the rural intersection near Belmont.

“I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen severe accidents at that intersection,” says Gonzales County Sheriff Glen Sachtleben. “At least five of them involved fatalities.”

Officials acknowledge that if something is going to be done, the Texas Highway Department (TxDOT) is going to be the one to do it.

That’s why Voigt is doing her part to help get a light at the intersection, and is in the process of supplying TxDOT with the necessary information to help expedite procedures for making the intersection as safe as possible.

“I have contacted TxDOT in the hopes of getting a light put in at that intersection,” Voigt says. “I’m getting together a lot of accident reports, old news reports and even some photographs to send to them in order to get this accomplished.”

Richard Goss with the Belmont VFD says the problem is that people coming down 466 sometimes don’t obey that stop sign, and, whether they see it or not, Goss hopes the situation can be helped with the addition of a blinking light.

“It might make it easier,” he says. “That’s what I’m hoping for. I’m not saying this light is going to eliminate the possibility of future accidents, but I do think it might help cut down on them.”

Goss adds that in all the years he has worked accidents in the Belmont area, particularly at that intersection, the accidents result from people not paying attention.

“I’ve been to many wrecks at that spot,” he says. “It’s very dangerous out there. I really want to get some pressure on TxDOT to get this light installed.”

A sign alerting motorists to an upcoming stop sign and rumble strips on the roadway are already in place on FM 466, but officials admit that if motorists choose to ignore the safety measures already in place, accidents are likely to continue.

“It seems like drivers aren’t thinking about driving, not paying attention to their surroundings,” Goss continues. “And with the increased oilfield activity, traffic is increasing, especially on 80. Drivers now need to be even more careful.”

County commissioner Kevin LaFleur is also on board with getting the light up, and is willing to do his part to help out.

“There’s a big tree at that intersection that makes it harder to see,” he explains. “We would like to get it cut down, whether we (Gonzales County) do it or TxDOT does. And having the light blinking yellow on 80 and blinking red on 466 is precisely what we need to do. Whatever it takes to save lives.”