ELSA – An intersection in Elsa is causing major concern for a community. Residents said they try to avoid the intersection at all costs, in hopes of avoiding an accident.

According to the Elsa Police Department, there have been 20 accidents at the intersection of FM 88 and Mile 16 North. Some residents said they’re growing frustrated about the situation.

“I mean how many kids have been inside those cars? How many people have got into accidents and they’ve got injured? It could all be prevented,” Desiree Humphreys said.

She said she’s lived near the busy intersection for almost 18 years. She said accidents have gotten so bad she now tries to avoid the intersection all together.

“I think we need a light, honestly. A traffic light because people are turning, going straight and they don’t see anybody, they don’t see the other person on the other side and that’s what happens. It could be anyone of us,” she said.

The same issue is concerning for Elsa Police Chief Primitivo Rodriguez.

“We did have a fatality there one time and that’s what concerned me that I said, ‘Hey we need to start working on this so we can get a traffic light,’” he said.

Rodriguez said in just the past few months there have been more than 20 accidents at the intersection. He said traffic has increased in the area since the opening of Walmart.

Around eight months ago, Rodriguez contacted TxDOT to have them come out and conduct a survey in the area.

“I called a couple weeks ago and they contacted me and said they would start construction this month in January and we’ll have a single light out there,” he said.

The study performed on the intersection is to determine whether or not there is a definite need for a traffic signal.

“One of the things that the community can always do is reach out to TxDOT. TxDOT will always do a study to determine to see if the intersections warrants… a bouncing yellow ball, all the way to a traffic light,” TxDOT spokesperson Octavio Saenz said. “The warrants that include or have to be met has to do anywhere from the traffic, pedestrian traffic and such.”

Saenz said the entire process could take months to fully complete.

Until then Rodriguez urges people to keep a closer eye on the road and to look both ways.