LORENA, Texas — Families in McLennan County have been pushing for safety enhancements at a dangerous intersection for five years. Now their call for action has finally been answered.
The intersection is just south of Waco between Old Lorena and Chapel roads. One Lorena mother, Terri Rohrer, says multiple crash victims have shared stories and photos with her about the dangerous intersection.
Rohrer started a petition that now has over 7,000 signatures from people who have their own personal stories with accidents after tragedy struck her daughter while she was behind the wheel.
"It's truly a miracle," Rohrer said. "If she had pulled out one second later, he would have hit on the driver's side of her car and going at that speed, I don't believe she would have survived."
However, it wasn't until former 'Miss Waco', Jamie Blanek, lost her leg that the Texas Department of Transportation then sprung into action. They conducted a traffic study on the intersection warranting a traffic signal to be installed.
Jamie Blanek sent a statement to 6 News about the new traffic signal lights that have been a long time coming:
I’m so grateful that there is now a light at the intersection that has been so dangerous for so many years. It’s unfortunate that it took this long to happen and that the carelessness of TXDOT cost people their lives and almost cost me mine. I’m hopeful that this light will save lives and make the road safer for those traveling on it.
My accident changed my life in an instant. I was suddenly faced with a lifelong challenge that I had to learn how to navigate and adapt to. However, it put things into perspective for me and I am fortunate enough to say that today I’m living an incredible and fulfilling life. I’m chasing my dream to be a Paralympic Para Snowboarder and I’m grateful that I’m alive and that I survived an accident that should have killed me.
I want TXDOT to know that the blood that was spilled from my body and the lives that have been lost at that intersection over the years is on their hands. Their negligence is at fault here and everyday that passed that the light wasn’t there was them playing with Texan’s lives. I hope that in the future they can take their job seriously and make more of an effort to prevent these tragedies from happening.
Additions like a new traffic light are just small steps in the right direction for this community.
"Even if it saves one life or one leg, it's worth it," Rohrer said. "We're really thankful that they finally heard us."
Check out the progress below over the intersection throughout the past few years: