County Lowers a Speed Limit, Gets Trail Ride Feedback and Approves New Lights at Airport

Fayette County Commissioners Court lowered the speed limit on Leonhardt Rd. near Round Top to 40 miles per hour. Commissioners held a public hearing on the speed limit change at their meeting last Thursday, Oct. 9.

Pct. 2 Commissioner Clint Sternadel said residents living along the road requested the change due to the amount of traffic it gets, especially during the Antiques Shows.

“Leonhardt Rd. is kind of cut through right around the backside of Round Top,” Sternadel said. “And so especially this time of year, it gets a lot of traffic and a lot of out-of-town traffic.”

The road consists of two long straightaways with a 90 degree curve in the middle “There had been a significant number of people running through the fences there, so I received some feedback from the public asking we address the speed limit,” Sternadel said.

One person from the public spoke during the public hearing, Lou Ann Stokes.

“I live on Klatt Rd. and it’s kind of the same situation there,” Stokes said.

Klatt Rd. runs between Winedale Rd. and and Haverman Rd. northeast of Round Top.

“People come flying down that road,” Stokes said. “I’m afraid one of these days somebody, especially like you said, this time of the year – this antique thing makes us all crazy. They just fly through. I was wondering if there’s any way that we could maybe look into that, getting a speed limit there on that road?”

Sternadel agreed with Stokes. A speed limit change on Klatt Rd. would have to wait for a future meeting since it was not on the agenda last Thursday. After the discussion, Commissioners voted unanimously to set the speed limit on Leonhardt Rd. at 40 miles per hour.

Also at Thursday’s meeting, one of the residents who lives near the location of the Real Deal trail ride and campout that took place two weeks ago spoke during the public comment period.

Maria Hartin thanked County Judge Dan Mueller and other County leaders for the statement they made opposed to the trail ride, which ended with a shooting death on Sept. 28.

“It was good to see the public statements by county officials making it known that this event will not be welcome in Fayette County anymore,” Hartin said. “Thank you for that. The noise, the garbage, the traffic, and the blatant disrespect for neighbors in the area were even worse this year. The bullet that killed the man at this event could have traveled to a nearby home and killed an innocent neighbor. The sirens and flashing lights that we saw and heard in the middle of the night made us afraid for our safety.

“This is our home, it’s where we live, and twice we have been forced to endure this so-called trail ride,” Hartin added. “I hope the county will adhere to its public stance on future events like this. In my opinion, allowing this event to happen yet again would simply be asking for more trouble.”

Judge Mueller thanked Hartin for her remarks.

Also at Thursday’s meeting, Commissioners authorized the purchase and installation of runway end identifier lights and taxiway centerline lighting at Fayette Regional Air Center. Airport manager Debra Maddox said the runway end identifier lights were installed around 2000. They are broken, but the lights are obsolete and parts are difficult to find, she said.

The taxiways do not currently have lighting. Maddox said the airport saw about 422 nighttime take offs and landings in the last year. On at least one occasion, she said, a plane accidently went off the taxiway at night due to poor visibility and had to be pulled out then ditch.

Maddox said 90 percent of the cost of both projects will be reimbursed through a Texas Department of Transportation airport maintenance grant. She said there are funds available in the airport budget for both projects. Commissioners voted unanimously to authorize the lighting upgrades.