There’s an intersection along Texas 114 and Alliance Boulevard in Rhome that induces anxiety and trauma for Maria Rodriguez Hernandez.
“It’s horrible. Like every time that I go through there, I just can see my mom’s car destroyed. And the only thing I can think of is my son,” she said.
In January, it was along that intersection that 8-year-old Matteo died.
Hernandez’s mother had picked Matteo up from school and was turning into their neighborhood when a semi-truck struck, impacting Matteo’s door.
Hernandez and other neighbors — including city leaders — had been calling for a traffic signal there long before the accident.
“I fear for my life when I leave and come into our neighborhood,” said Heather Hockett, who said she’s been asking for one for more than 10 years.
“It’s just… You never know. You’re putting your life in somebody else’s hands. It’s kind of scary,” Hockett said.
Change may finally be coming; signs stating “signal work ahead” are up.
Hockett’s daughter, Sophia, is a new driver and said it would give her a sense of protection.
“Just going just across that, possibly getting hit, still learning how to speed up, stop, and a lot of drivers, you know, they drive very aggressively,” she explained. “That makes me anxious, and just knowing that, getting a stoplight, I feel more protected.”
That’s exactly what Hernandez is hoping for– a layer of protection for others, even though it comes too late to save her little light.
“I’m not going to lie. I am grateful that they are actually doing something,” Hernandez said.
But although TxDOT says work is scheduled to begin next week, she and neighbors say they aren’t pulling the plug on this fight, just yet.
“Like for me, this is going to be a constant battle until I see a traffic light installed and functioning,” she said.
TxDOT anticipates that the work could take up to 45 days before testing begins.