SAN ANTONIO — SAN ANTONIO – The City of San Antonio has unveiled a new tool aimed at enhancing traffic safety and awareness.
The High-Injury Network (HIN) Dashboard, launched by the city’s Transportation Department, provides real-time data on crash fatalities and severe crashes, allowing residents to explore where these incidents occur and how they affect pedestrians, bicyclists, and drivers.
Culebra Road, a notorious hotspot for severe crashes on the city’s west side, recorded 116 fatal or serious crashes from 2019 to 2023, according to the dashboard. The area has been a major concern due to frequent hit-and-runs and incidents involving pedestrians and bicyclists.
Local business owners have long witnessed the dangers on Culebra Road. “What I see on Culebra Road is there’s a lot of traffic, a lot of pedestrians, a lot of people on bicycles, and they don’t always follow the law, the regulations, the crosswalks,” said Alberto Virgen with Virgen & Virgen. Adding, “I hear the collisions when people are exiting the restaurant across the street.”
Assistant to the Transportation Director Kristie Flores says the City already has funding in place to support this work. “We already have a process by which we receive grant monies, up to $4 million per year to study these corridors and find ways of preventing crashes and eliminating fatalities,” Flores said.
The HIN Dashboard is part of the city’s “Keep Crossings Safe” campaign, which aims to improve safety at intersections and crosswalks. Transportation Director Catherine “Cat” Hernandez emphasized the dashboard’s role in promoting safer streets. “As we continue our work to build safer streets, this dashboard offers residents an unprecedented level of visibility into where the most serious crashes occur,” she said.
City officials are also exploring additional safety measures, including quick-build projects like mid-block crosswalks and enhanced signage. Councilmembers are considering cost-effective traffic calming measures, such as bulb-outs, to improve safety. “Speed humps are the go-to for constituents. They’re very expensive, but there’s other solutions that are more cost-effective and also can save lives as well,” said Teri Castillo.
A new pilot program will soon reduce speed limits from 30 to 25 miles per hour in certain neighborhoods, starting on the west side. “We’re going to be starting this new pilot program to drop the speed limit from 30 to 25 miles an hour in certain neighborhoods,” said Marc Whyte.
The dashboard supports the city’s Vision Zero initiative, which aims to eliminate traffic deaths and serious injuries through data-driven strategies. “By making crash data easy to understand, we’re helping residents see firsthand why efforts like ‘Keep Crossings Safe’ matter, and how small behavior changes can save lives in San Antonio,” Hernandez said.