Action taken by the West Lake Hills City Council last week is probably an indication of why decisions on where dedicated left-turn signals go should be left entirely up to the Texas Department of Transportation (see story on page A3).

To pay $11,982 for a professional traffic study to help determine whether or not to urge TxDOT to put in a dedicated left-turn signal to help motorists turn safely onto Red Bud Trail from Bee Cave Road is absurd enough because it is a obviously in the best interest of public safety, which should trump any other concern. Absurdity was taken to new heights in this case because council members Andrew Schwartz, Davin Fillpot and Spencer Stevens voted against the signal – despite the fact that the study said it would not adversely impact cut-through traffic on Red Bud Trail. It should be noted that Council members Cindy Probst and Stan Graham voted for asking TxDOT to change the signal. Unfortunately, they were in the minority. Mayor Dave Claunch, who does not have a vote except to break a tie of voting council members, was also in favor of changing the signalization to improve safety.

We hope that a serious accident is not on the horizon that leaves a motorist with a debilitating injury because of this clear and present danger, but the odds are that it could happen since an average of 7.75 accidents per year occur at the intersection.

The purpose for making studies like this one is to ensure that the best possible decision is made for the good of West Lake Hills citizen. Citizens, not commuters who are counted among those as cut-through traffic, are the ones who are at greatest risk when they negotiate this turn unprotected across the path often heavy traffic on Bee Cave Road onto Red Bud Trail.

We urge TxDOT officials to do the right thing and move forward with the only logical solution and install dedicated left-turn signals where they belong along Bee Cave Road, despite opinions of those who have concerns they deem more important than public safety.