June 06, 2019
Slideshows » News
By San Antonio Current Staff
If you’re trying to get around San Antonio streets and not lose your life, it’s probably best if you exercise caution at these intersections. Some have bad angles or are badly designed or have elevation issues going on. But most are just bad because we don't know how to drive.
All photos courtesy of Google Maps
Broadway and East Mulberry Avenue
We’re stressed just looking at this picture. Like seriously, it’s just chaos. And if you’re trying to turn? Good luck.
NW 24th Street and Culebra Road
Granted, there’s like four different ways you can go if you’re going westbound on Culebra. You can turn left to go to H-E-B, turn right on Wilson, or keep going straight or veer right to head down Bandera. Yeah, it’s a lot. So of course there’s plenty of drivers switching lanes at the last second, or poking in just to hold up traffic. Head down with a game plan to make sure everything runs smoothly.
Loop 1604 and Bandera Road
This photo is from December, which means you can see early stages of the now-completed road changes on both sides of Loop 1604. If you’ve been out there recently, you’ve probably thought the same thing as us: what the actual fuck?!
Loop 410 and Marbach Road
Marbach in general is absolutely horrendous for drivers who jump out of parking lots and onto the road without looking. Just as many try to cut in and hold up traffic. Then there’s plenty of folks who either 1) run the light or 2) want to run the light but don’t and end up too far forward and people get pissy. Seriously, how can you drive down Marbach and not be in a bad mood?
Callaghan Road at Loop 410
This intersection not look all too bad, but plenty of accidents have happened here. The more-than-slight hill makes this spot super dangerous if you’re coming east on Callaghan, either to cross under the highway or head north on 410. Cars coming in too fast or with shotty brakes are all but asking for an accident, especially if the light is red.
Huebner Road and Bandera Road
Let’s get this straight: this intersection is already super stressful as it is since it’s in Leon Valley and they don’t play around with their red lights. But then you have a mixture of folks who take the LV rules super seriously and drive insanely slow. Then there’s people who just drive reckless. Can’t we meet somewhere in the middle?
Fredericksburg Road and Loop 410
First of all, please take note that police are always on Fredericksburg Road, especially on this stretch that is technically in Balcones Heights. It seems like someone is always getting pulled over. Heading north, whether you’re going to the mall or trying to get onto I-10 or Loop 410 past the light is bad too since folks taking the turnaround or coming from Fredericksburg are always super impatient and trying to jump in. It’s just bad, y’all.
Huebner Road and I-10
Ugh. This intersection is a mess. The right-turn lane is always backed up even when it shouldn’t be, like people don’t know that you can’t jump over the curb to get onto I-10 southbound. (You’re just gonna have to go to the next entrance, bud. Yes, we know it’s right there.) Maybe it’s just us, but we swear drivers are especially notorious for turning into the wrong lane at this intersection. Doesn’t matter what side you’re coming from, it’s just really bad here.
Bowie Street and East Commerce Street
Sure, like all of downtown is annoying to drive in considering there’s so many one-ways and, well, it’s super crowded. But this intersection is especially annoying. Coming down this way from I-35 is stop-and-go since traffic heading into the heart of downtown is slow. Then, heading south toward the massive Grand Hyatt is just as stop-and-go considering the short block and people confused about what lane they should be in. We’re honestly over it.
Northwest Parkway and Loop 410
While this is definitely a road less traveled compared to most on this list, it’s definitely a pain in the ass. If you’re trying to leave this business park and onto the access road, you have plenty of folks going way too fast – to the point where you have to wait ‘til it’s completely clear just to be safe. Then, if you’re one of those folks coming down the access road, you have impatient people jumping out, usually cutting across ALL of the traffic to catch the entrance ramp. Yeah, this one isn’t fun for anybody.
Broadway and Austin Highway
Doesn’t everything about this picture just overwhelm you? Well it does for us, mostly ‘cause traffic is always moving here and police are out (it is Alamo Heights, after all). Really, it’s the turns that get us.
Anywhere around Alamo Plaza
Downtown is best explored on foot, but that doesn’t mean people are exempt from driving around here. If you make the mistake of driving near the Alamo, expect lots of waiting on people to cross – and really for them to notice that there’s cars around. It’s all too overwhelming.
All the interchanges at Loop 1604 and I-10
It’s been years since construction in the area was completed and we’re still thrown off by this whole area. Whether it’s rush hour or not, there always seems to be plenty of drivers who don’t know which lane they should be in, so they’re merging at the last possible second. We avoid this area at all costs.
Fredericksburg Road at Fresno and Babcock
Look at this intersection on a map and you know you’re asking for trouble. Fredericksburg gets super backed up all on its own (especially heading east on the weekend during brunch – a certain donut shop certainly makes traffic). But then you have people coming from Babcock turning right when they shouldn’t. Then there’s a bus stop like RIGHT THERE that holds up traffic too. Then the lights just seem to take forever since there’s so many angles to consider. It’s all too much.
Culebra Road at North Zarzamora
Maybe blame the beautiful basilica as a being a distraction, but this intersection has actually seen a high number of accidents. Or maybe everyone is zooming through the West Side to get to Ray’s Drive Inn? Who knows.
Commercial Avenue and West Pyron Avenue
This slight curve in the road creates a blind spot that is incredibly dangerous – especially if drivers take it fast, which they usually do. Just slow down and be safe y’all, it’s that easy.
McDermott Fwy Access Road and Culebra Road
Is it just us or is the turn lane here super tight? Of course there’s always plenty of people hanging out in the wrong lane, and then trying to accommodate that while making your own tight-ass turn is no fun. We’re stressed just thinking about it.
East Basse Road and Broadway and Nacogdoches Road
Basse turns into Nacogdoches, cool. No biggie there. But the road(s) intersect in a way with Broadway that it makes it this slanted mess. It’s not the absolute worst, but it definitely isn’t chill – at least not if people are changing lanes when they shouldn’t (which happens a lot here).
Ingram Road and Richland Hills Drive
Hear us out: this intersection is only bad because there’s so much development in the area, and there’s basically too many folks on the road – ones that are too small for the amount of traffic here. So then that means people congested roadways and impatient drivers. We’ll pass on both.
Fredericksburg Road and Medical Drive
It’s been years since they did this whole ramp thing and we’re honestly still so dumbfounded by it. There’s nothing inherently confusing by this setup, we just keep forgetting it's like this. And judging by the way some locals drive around here, we’re not alone.
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Broadway and East Mulberry Avenue
We’re stressed just looking at this picture. Like seriously, it’s just chaos. And if you’re trying to turn? Good luck.
