By james art MADISON CO., Ala. (WAFF) – Linda Shakeel has lived at the corner of McKee Road and Jeff Road for 18 years.
“I’ve made more 911 calls than I care to know,” Shaquille said.
That’s where a three-car crash sent a truck into the kindergarten across the street Tuesday afternoon.
“I’m not going to say it’s the worst I’ve ever seen, but it was devastating to see,” Shaquille said.
Shaquille has seen and heard every car accident at this intersection because it’s just feet from her front door.
“It’s terrifying because every time I knew exactly what it was,” Shaquille said. “You know the snapping and snapping of metal together.”
The intersection is a two-way stop only. She says that sometimes on busy roads they forget there is a stop at all.
“People coming up McKee Road, I don’t think they’re aware of the stop sign there. Right here on the corner, went airborne and flipped,” Shaquille said. “We had one standing right here in the center of my yard, they’re in this ditch over here, and there were a few in the driveway.”
Shakeel and her neighbors took their concerns directly to the Madison County Commissioners.
“Now that there have been several more incidents, even without yesterday’s, we realize that something needs to be done,” said Madison County Commissioner Phil Vandiver
Vandiver said there are plans to install a roundabout at the intersection. He said the county has already begun purchasing property to begin construction.
The right-of-way purchase even extends to Shakeel’s property, which maintains a tour.
“The way they separate the cars, I just think it’s safer. Having a traffic light does not eliminate accidents,” she said.
Now Shakeel is left with just one question.
“How soon? Because we want to be proactive. We are not talking about years gone by. We have to be efficient now,” Shaquille said.
Vandiver has no timetable for the project. He said once the county buys the rest of the land, they can start rerouting utilities and start construction.
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