Teresa Morris wonders how many people have to be injured or killed on U.S. 72 West near the new school site before the Alabama Department of Transportation agrees to install a caution light or stop light there.

A three-vehicle wreck at 72 and Hardy Road Friday morning left four people injured, according to state troopers.

The crash revived sad memories and rekindled worries for Morris. Her father, 64-year-old Gerald Burns, died last year after rear-ending a fuel truck that had slowed at the intersection to enter the school-construction site.

“I feel like it is a ticking time bomb,” said Morris, who had gone to Hardy Road about 10 a.m. Friday to pick up a cross placed along the roadside as a memorial to her father.

Workers digging a waterline in the area told her about the wreck.

“When that school opens, some kids are going to get killed,” Morris said. “They at least need a blinking light during drop off and pickup time.”

Since the Limestone County Schools began planning the new school, Superintendent Barry Carroll has been trying to get the ALDOT to approve a stoplight for the intersection.

The ALDOT has helped pay for soon-to-be installed turn lanes to ease the flow of traffic in and out of the school when it opens in 2010.

ALDOT Director Joe McInnes initially rejected Carroll’s request for a stoplight but told him by telephone in June — after the wreck involving Morris’ father — that he would reconsider the request.

Tony Harris, special assistant to McInnes, recently told The News Courier he would check the status of that request. No news yet.

As it stands, the traffic count on 72 does not meet federal guidelines for such a light. However, the ALDOT can make exceptions. An overhead traffic light and a caution light were installed on 72 at East Limestone Road after so many accidents occurred, including multiple fatalities. The road is heavily traveled by motorists turning off of 72 onto East Limestone Road to get to East Limestone High School and Creekside Elementary School.



Friday pileup



On Friday, three vehicles collided about 8:35 a.m. on 72 at Hardy Road, six miles west of Athens — a 2004 Nissan pickup truck driven by Brian Riley, 38, of Athens; a 2000 Chevrolet driven by Dwoyne Day, 24, of Florence; and a 2008 Toyota sport-utility vehicle driven by Lori Daniels, 34, of Harvest.

The injured included Daniels, Day, and two passengers in Day’s car — Alidah Day, 23, and Ashley Kelly, 21, both of Florence.

“We had to take a woman out the back door of the car because the right front door was damaged so bad,” said Owens Fire Chief Gary Lovell. “We had a couple refuse treatment.”

The injured were treated at Athens-Limestone Hospital but their conditions were not available, a spokeswoman said.

“They were lucky that nobody got hurt bad because it could have been real bad,” Lovell said. “Everybody had minor bruises and cuts.”

Firefighters from Clements, Owens and two units from Rogersville responded to the call, Lovell said.

Although a MedFlight helicopter was initially called to the scene, the request was canceled and the injured taken to Athens-Limestone Hospital, Lovell said.

Lovell is unsure what caused the accident. The trooper could say only that three vehicles collided.