Austin’s Ready To Rumble on ‘Crashy Cameron’ and ‘Deathtrap Dessau’ Roads
Austin, Texas – Regular drivers on Cameron Road between East 51st Street and Rundberg, or Dessau Road, as known for the north side stretch reaching up to Parmer Lane, brace yourself as city officials actively resolve ongoing traffic safety issues on these roads. Tagged with ominous nicknames ‘Crashy Cameron’ and ‘Deathtrap Dessau’, the city is now taking steps to address the alarming statistics on road crashes.
A Stark Reality
The Austin Transportation and Public Works Department have compiled traffic data to ascertain the magnitude of risks on these roads. Between 2019 and 2023, almost 2,400 crashes were recorded on Cameron Road / Dessau Road between East 51st Street and Parmer Lane. This average to about 480 crashes a year or otherwise, at least one accident every day. In terms of human lives, these numbers are equivalent to 12 people killed, 77 seriously injured, and another 397 suffering minor injuries. The yearly cost to public safety resources dedicated to addressing traffic incidents on this single road is estimated at about $100 million.
Unsettled Scores
High vehicular speeds play a decisive role in the elevated crash severity. Speed data collected over a 24-hour period in March 2024 identified over 2,900 vehicles going over the posted 40 mph speed limit on Cameron Road, and 3,900 vehicles overspeeding on Dessau Road where the limit is 50 mph.
City’s Steps Towards Safety
City’s Transportation and Public Works Department has announced initiatives to transform ‘Crashy Cameron’ and ‘Deathtrap Dessau’. The road safety campaign includes new infrastructure improvements that range from 51st Street to Parmer Lane.
These improvements include better pedestrian crossings, relocated bus stops, enhanced street lighting, and a reconfiguration of lanes to provide space for protected bike lanes and sidewalks.
Improvements for this corridor have been planned since 2019, an initiative that predates the lane-reducing Barton Springs Road Safety Pilot. The latter’s successful implementation offers promising prospects towards similar reductions and improvements on other high-risk city roads.
Public Feedback Sought
Aware of the effect of these changes on daily commuters, city officials are seeking feedback on their plans for the Cameron/Dessau corridor. They’re confident that the number of lanes in each direction can be safely reduced without causing much traffic congestion. The city explains that congestion is mainly caused at intersections with traffic signals. Offering a free-flowing lane away from a traffic signal can carry about three times the traffic volume and hence, isn’t typically a source of congestion.
The City plans to maintain the existing vehicular capacity on Cameron Road / Dessau Road by providing additional traffic lanes at key intersections and segments. Meanwhile, shared-use paths will provide cyclists with a safe passage through the intersections to connect to in-street protected bicycle lanes.
A Step towards Equity
The improvements on Cameron/Dessau corridors represent a move towards equity complementing infrastructure investments across Austin. City reports indicate that from 2019 and 2023, 72% of the people seriously injured or killed in crashes on Cameron and Dessau Road were Black or Hispanic, reflecting the demographics of surrounding neighborhoods.
The city is soliciting public feedback on the project’s proposed design until September 3. As distinct strides are made towards improved road safety, the city of Austin reminds everyone that safe roads are a shared responsibility.
